Clint Eastwood stars in TV ad supporting Romney

WASHINGTON (AP) — Clint Eastwood is starring in a new ad to support Republican Mitt Romney’s election to the White House.

The “Dirty Harry” actor criticizes President Barack Obama’s economic record over video of a shuttered factory and an unemployment line. Eastwood says a second term would be a, quote, “rerun of the first and our country just couldn’t survive that.”

The ad closes with a close-up of the Academy Award-winner facing the camera and arguing that the country needs Romney to turn things around.

The independent Republican group American Crossroads unveiled the ad Wednesday. It is part of a $12.6 million, three-ad buy in seven swing states — Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia.

Eastwood spoke at the Republican National Convention, berating an empty chair meant to represent Obama.