Following tonight’s Republican debate in South Carolina, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement:

“If anyone in America needed additional evidence as to why Mitt Romney’s had such a bad week, why Americans’ unfavorable views of him have soared, and why he is failing to resonate with middle class Americans, they should have gotten all they needed and more tonight. In short, Mitt Romney doesn’t understand the needs of the middle class, doesn’t relate to typical American families, and would be a disaster for Americans trying to get ahead and achieve the American Dream.

“For anyone hoping to get a straight answer from Romney on whether or not he will finally come clean with the American people and run a transparent campaign, tonight was a disappointment. Romney ducked and dodged on whether or not he would agree to follow the precedent set by President Obama and previous presidential candidates by releasing his previous comprehensive federal income tax returns for multiple years. Even Romney’s father, George Romney, released twelve years of his tax returns when he ran for president. Mitt Romney, it seems, doesn’t want the American people to know more about the details of the roughly 15 percent rate he pays in taxes – a far lower rate than what is paid by the typical working family. And with news reports this week that Romney has millions of dollars invested in overseas accounts – tax havens like the Cayman Islands –it raises further questions about why Romney is dodging the issue altogether. So dissembling and disjointed was Mitt Romney’s response tonight that he was actually booed by the audience.

"If his dodges on taxes weren’t bad enough, Mitt Romney continued to refuse to come clean about what he was really doing in the private sector as a corporate buyout specialist. Mr. Romney offered yet another job creation figure – 120,000 – after failing to substantiate the ‘100,000’ and ‘thousands’ he’s used in just the past few weeks. Why is Mitt Romney having such a hard time describing his job creation record? Because it was the last thing on his mind when he was raiding companies, bankrupting them and laying off workers while reaping huge profits for himself and his investors. What was on his mind? Just as one of his former colleagues has said –Mitt Romney had one goal and one goal only – creating wealth. Period.

“Once again, when it comes to Mitt Romney, the facts just don’t add up. He thinks he can play by his own set of rules – Romney’s Rules – under which he doesn’t have to level with the American people, doesn’t have to release his tax returns and doesn’t have to be straight about his record. But the American people expect candidates to operate by the same set of rules as everyone else – and Romney’s failure to do so is clearly why he is having so much trouble resonating with typical American families.”

South Carolina's primary—the first in the South—is this Saturday. And even though it's a Republican primary, Democrats have been on the ground across the state all week, holding the GOP candidates accountable and building up the President's Palmetto State operation.

We kicked today off in Charleston with a press conference with our chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former chair and South Carolinian Don Fowler, and South Carolina state Rep. Bakari Sellers, who called out Mitt Romney for refusing to release his tax returns—a precedent that every presidential candidate has adhered to for decades, including George Romney in 1968.

Rep. Wasserman Schultz told the assembled reporters:

"As Mitt Romney campaigns through South Carolina in advance of this weekend’s primary, he’s been making his final pitch to voters here, and tonight’s debate is the perfect opportunity for Mitt Romney to come clean to the American people.

"If Mitt Romney is unfairly taking advantage of the tax system or entangled in any other potential conflicts of interest, the American people have a right to know about it.

"It’s time for Romney to level with the American people. Whether it’s his claims about job creation or the truth about his finances, he has tried time and time again to mislead the public—and the voters of South Carolina deserve better.

"The more we dig into Mitt Romney’s record, the more we learn just how far he is willing to go in saying anything to get elected."

Check back right here on our blog, on our Twitter account, and our Facebook page for all things South Carolina for the next four days.