Despite GOP criticism, Romney holds ground

Romney has defended his health care plan in Massachusetts — and its mandate on individuals to buy insurance — even though it provided the template for President Obama’s national plan so despised by Republicans. He has continued to maintain that humans contribute to global warming, even though most Republicans believe otherwise.

He has also continued to defend his position opposing the auto bailout, even as Chrysler and General Motors have again become profitable.

The issues have given Rom ney a new opportunity to project himself as a candidate who has core convictions.

“Last time he switched positions to what he thought people wanted,’’ said Doug Gross, who in 2008 was Romney’s state chairman in Iowa but is now unaligned. “I think he has matured as a politician and understands you need to be true to your own instincts and philosophies. I think we’re seeing the real Mitt Romney.’’

But the former Massachusetts governor has also come under withering criticism from influential Republican voices — including the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page and the Club for Growth — that could damage his standing in a Republican Party that tacked to the right during the midterm elections.

“Bye bye nomination,’’ commentator Rush Limbaugh said on his show last week, after Romney stood by his global warming position at a town hall in Manchester, N.H.

But current and former advisers say there has been a renewed emphasis on building the campaign around what Romney wants to talk about — the economy — rather than trying to make him appeal to a variety of constituencies. It is one reason he’s not competing as aggressively in Iowa, where the caucuses can emphasize social issues such as abortion.

One of the few moments he appeared uncomfortable during Monday night’s debate in New Hampshire was when he was asked whether he would reinstate the military’s policy of barring gays from serving openly in the military.

“We ought to be talking about the economy and jobs,’’ Romney said, before criticizing the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell’’ but not saying whether he would seek to reinstate it.