For the past several weeks, the elite factions of the GOP have implored conservatives to throw in the towel and line up behind Mitt Romney. Considering that several of these individuals had either been highly critical of Mitt, or had withheld their support until his nomination was all but assured, I have to assume that much of this support is tepid at best. There is no better example of this than what Marco Rubio had to say the day after declaring his support for Romney’s candidacy.

“There are a lot of other people out there that some of us wish had run for president — but they didn’t,” Rubio told Townhall.com in an interview. “I think Mitt Romney would be a fine president, and he’d be way better than the guy who’s there right now.”

Apparently, Rubio’s endorsement wasn’t well received by the tea party activists who are largely responsible for his triumph over Charlie Christ in the 2010 Florida GOP Senatorial primary. The depth of Rubio’s support doesn’t really impact Romney’s candidacy. He’s already on record guaranteeing his support. Rubio has forfeited the ability to influence the Romney campaign on policy.

Conservatives who believe that presidential elections are won by rallying the base should withold their support for Mitt Romney at this time. If we capitulate seven months out, he will take us for granted even more than he already has. In other words, he will “Etch” and “Sketch” himself into a carbon copy of Obama in the hopes of winning Independents and right-leaning Democrats. If the past is any indication, this will result in millions of conservatives refusing to pull the lever for Romney in November. The unfortunate outcome will be four more disastrous years of Obama.

Make him earn your vote.