IIRC when Romney ran for Senate, he ran to the LEFT of Ted Kennedy. Romney is merely a pale version of Obama. Obama may actually pretend to be more Conservative than Romney once the election cycle begins. Obama is trying to compare himself with Reagan. Obama and Romney will be fighting each other for the progressive liberal votes.
A pox on both their houses. Virgil Goode for President. A true conservative. Accept no fraudulent substitutes.
In my view, his choice of a running mate will be his first opportunity to evidence his professed conservatism, which of course followed his liberal record as governor. If he is serious, he'll pick an outspoken firebrand of a conservative like Palin was to McCain.
Even so, high profile conservative Republicans must hold their noses and embrace the Eleventh Commandment popularized by Reagan to get out the vote to defeat Obama even in the non-liberal dominated states - ones a true conservative could take for granted. The convention may be telling.