I'm not so sure, I think anyone would have had trouble. A *big* part of the problem is the evangelic base and Tea Baggers. They didn't like Romney, and they wouldn't have like anyone, no matter how strong, who they viewed as too moderate on their key issues. He had no choice but to parrot some of their real extreme social stuff, and that's what might freak out a lot of folks in the middle. And given their inflexible, extreme positions on education, women health, and gays it's hard to see where there's room an acceptable dialogue or accommodation. There's no oxygen for bargaining, none. It's just as stupid as closing and embassy and severing diplomatic relations.
And this quacky, reflexive faith-based approach any issue is spilling over into other stuff. The fact they even played footsie with the gold standard in their policy platform is just... crazy. Just crazy. WTF.