A political tip sheet for the rest of us outside the Washington Beltway, for Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012:

WHAT HAPPENED:

ROMNEY CALLS SANTORUM A COMPROMISER: Did Rick Santorum repeatedly vote for legislation he didn’t believe in? Rival Mitt Romney says Santorum compromised his own principles in doing so and questions anew whether Santorum is a devoted conservative. Santorum’s comments at Wednesday night’s GOP debate in Arizona gave Romney new fodder for an old criticism. Santorum defended voting for President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind education bill because “sometimes you take one for the team.’’ Romney asked in a speech on Thursday: “I wonder which team he was taking it for?’’ He added, “My team is the American people, not the insiders in Washington.’’ Santorum defended other votes that clashed with his conservative philosophy, prompting Romney to say Thursday, “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a politician explain in so many ways why he voted against his principles.’’ When the debate audience booed his explanation for the education law vote, Santorum said, “Look, politics is a team sport, folks.’’