Romney Tries to Woo Conservatives at CPAC WASHINGTON - For more than an hour Thursday afternoon, Mitt Romney huddled with a small gathering of leaders in the conservative movement, potential emissaries to those who have so far proved most wary of embracing him as the Republican Party's nominee. Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times Volunteers worked at Rick Santorum's booth Thursday, when the Conservative Public Action Conference opened in Washington. About three dozen evangelical organizers, conservative writers and Tea Party activists were in the room at the Marriott Wardman Park, and the largely friendly group politely grilled him over nuts and soda about his positions on social issues and pressed him on his surprising losses during Tuesday's presidential contests. Not in attendance: many of those in the conservative movement who have questioned Mr. Romney's commitment to their causes - their absence underscoring the challenge he faces in winning them over. Several said Thursday that they had been invited, but declined. Others said Mr. Romney's campaign had not reached out to them this week. The private meeting, which the campaign described as an opportunity for Mr. Romney to "reconnect" with social conservatives after a grueling period of campaigning, was the closed-door prequel to a public effort that will come on Friday at the Conservative Public Action Conference, when Mr. Romney and his opponents in the Republican nominating fight will address a Washington gathering of nearly 10,000 activists. In a speech to the broader group Friday afternoon, Mr. Romney will seek to reassure social conservatives, deficit and national security hawks, and evangelical voters that they are a crucial part of the coalition he is building. "As he tries to bring this party together, it's critical that he reaches out to them, that he is there to address those issues that they might have some questions about," said Bay Buchanan, a longtime conservative activist who is helping Mr. Romney court the party's right wing and who attended the private meeting. You have to do something to bring them aboard. The effort to assuage conservatives could not come at a more critical time for Mr. Romney, who watched on Tuesday as hard-core Republican activists in three states shouted their preference for what they considered Rick Santorum's authentic brand of conservatism. The triple-state loss to Mr. Santorum was an embarrassment to Mr. Romney just as he was trying to pivot away from his Republican rivals toward a general election matchup with President Obama. And it was a reminder of the weakness that he has demonstrated among conservative voters in the early contests this year. The CPAC conference will likely be another stark reminder. The halls of the Marriott Wardman Park hotel in Washington are once again filled with the most fervent believers in conservative causes. And Mr. Santorum's surprising victories on Tuesday have many of them buzzing with anticipation for his appearance, which precedes Mr. Romney's. Supporters flew in from as far away as California to register their support for Mr. Santorum as his campaign sought to use the momentum from Tuesday's victories to charge his campaign. Hogan Gidley, a spokesman for Mr. Santorum, said Thursday in a Twitter posting that the campaign had registered its second straight day of million-dollar fund-raising. "Numbers keep pouring in," Mr. Gidley wrote. Jennifer Jones, 27, said Thursday that she had joined about 50 others from Los Angeles to support Mr. Santorum, taking an overnight flight after being inspired by the candidate's Tuesday victories. Jason Jones, 40, a film producer and anti-abortion activist from Glendale, Calif., said he "called all my friends to urge them to come." Several conservatives said Mr. Santorum's victories this week have quickly turned around the skepticism that many felt about his rag-tag campaign, which has struggled to raise money and build an organization. The only concern that most conservatives have about Rick is whether he could win. He's rapidly dispelling that concern," said Richard Land, the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. By contrast, Mr. Land, who has not endorsed a candidate, said Mr. Romney would be greeted warmly - but with lingering suspicion - by the conservatives at CPAC.