Recent polls show Ron Paul and Rick Santorum running neck-and-neck for third place in the South Carolina primary. The two have gone at each other tooth-and-nail, and how well Santorum is able to fight off Paul’s attacks may determine how the former Pennsylvania senator fares in the Palmetto State, The Hill reports.

Santorum and Paul have been at odds since the June debate, when they engaged in an intense argument over Iran and foreign policy. Santorum’s onslaught against Paul may have helped Santorum when he was at the bottom of the polls, but now it seems like he’s still preoccupied with the Texas congressman.

On Jan. 3, the day of the Iowa caucuses, Santorum said, “Ron Paul is disgusting.” In the debates several days later, Santorum labeled Paul “dangerous” and “ineffective,” while Paul called Santorum “corrupt.”

Paul is running TV ads in South Carolina this week terming Santorum a “serial hypocrite.” If Santorum is able to brush aside Paul’s attacks and target front-runner Mitt Romney, he could register a strong showing in South Carolina. But if Santorum continues to spend time going back and forth with Paul, he could be in trouble.