Salon suggests that the Mitt Romney campaign is unloading opposition research through the Drudge Report.

Some campaign aides have suggested that Drudge’s personal relationships have played a role in what oppo leaks he posts on the site. “I think it’s clear that Romney has gotten fairer treatment from Matt Drudge than any other candidate. There is a lot less negative Romney stuff,” said the senior Republican campaign aide. “It stems back to what many people believe is a very good relationship between the Romney team and Matt Drudge.” In particular, Matt Rhoades, Romney’s communications director, has a long history as the source for Drudge headlines, having previously served as the research director for the Republican National Committee during the 2006 campaign. In their book “The Way to Win,” Time’s Mark Halperin and the Politico’s John Harris recount that Rhoades traveled to Florida for a friendly steakhouse dinner with Drudge when he took the research director job in 2005. Attempts by e-mail and telephone to ask Drudge about the allegations of favoritism were not successful.

When Drudge reported that a mark on McCain’s head suggested that the Arizona senator’s cancer returned (it was a bruise), some associates of McCain I spoke to wondered aloud, but could not prove, that Romney’s campaign was behind the report. The Hotline made similar comments, but didn’t name a suspect.

(I would note that in “The Way to Win,” authors Halperin and Harris misspelled Rhoades’ name throughout, calling him “Rhodes.” This does not inspire absolute confidence in their account of Rhoades’ meeting with Drudge.)

Team Romney said they have no comment on the Salon story.