Sarah Palin: 'Not Convinced' About Romney

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Sunday she's "not convinced" Mitt Romney is a true conservative Republicans could trust in the White House.

"Most voters in the GOP, and independents, we will want to see that candidate who we can trust will just inherently, instinctively turn right – always err on the side of conservatism," Palin said on Fox News Sunday, according to The Hill. "I am not convinced [Romney is that person]. And I don't think that the majority of GOP and Independent voters are convinced, and that is why you don't see Romney get over that hump."

Palin's comments came the morning after Romney's victory in the Maine caucuses and the day after she spoke at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference where Romney also won the presidential straw poll among attendees.

According to Politico, Palin called Romney a "great candidate" but went on to criticize his past.

"I trust that his idea of conservatism is evolving, and I base this on a pretty moderate past that he has had, even in some cases a liberal past," she told Fox News' Chris Wallace. "He agreed with mandating on a state level what his constituents needed to be provided, needed to purchase, in the way of health care, and Romneycare which of course was the precursor to Obamneycare -- to Obamacare. Now that’s a problem."

She repeated her previous calls for a protracted primary season, saying it will ultimately produce the best candidate.

“I believe [the candidates are] getting stronger. They’re getting better. That’s what competition provides, and that’s why I want to see the competition continue," Palin said, according to National Journal.

Watch below, via Mediaite:

Addressing the other candidate's strengths, she said Rick Santorum is “quite bold about social issues” and said Newt Gingrich has an “historical perspective of how America was built.” She did not mention Ron Paul.

She did not detail the candidates' drawbacks, saying "We already know that the left, and the media allies to the left, are gonna beat up our candidates" and "we don't need to do that job for them."

Asked about actress Julianne Moore's portrayal of her in the latest trailer released for HBO's upcoming film "Game Change," Palin scoffed.

"I think we're gonna call that the Sarah Palin employment act and you guys need to thank me for employing more people probably in their imitations of Sarah Palin than the president has put people to work."