After getting the nod from the American Conservative Union’s David Keene last week, National Review signs onto the Romney candidacy, signaling his acceptance by what is arguably the heart of the conservative establishment.
Many conservatives are finding it difficult to pick a presidential candidate. Each of the men running for the Republican nomination has strengths, and none has everything  all the traits, all the positions  we are looking for. Equally conservative analysts can reach, and have reached, different judgments in this matter. There are fine conservatives supporting each of these Republicans.
Our guiding principle has always been to select the most conservative viable candidate. In our judgment, that candidate is Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts
The endorsement goes on with NR’s literate style to go into more detail – stuff not really new to the Chief – but IMHO welcome to see, especially considering the quality of the source.
They conclude:
More than the other primary candidates, Romney has President Bush’s virtues and avoids his flaws. His moral positions, and his instincts on taxes and foreign policy, are the same. But he is less inclined to federal activism, less tolerant of overspending, better able to defend conservative positions in debate, and more likely to demand performance from his subordinates. A winning combination, by our lights. In this most fluid and unpredictable Republican field, we vote for Mitt Romney.
The Chief concurs.