Romney is, of course, a conservative Republican; yet he has none of the typical Republican assets. He does not appear sympathetic to the working class, nor does he tout his religion or morals, nor does he have the kind of passion that has characterized many of the party’s firebrands. His personal and political histories are similarly bland; he has never served in the armed forces or overcome any remarkable personal struggles, nor has he broken with the conventions of his party or led any significant reform within it.

Romney is not so much a Republican as he is the quintessential Republican, not so much an individual as a bulleted list of talking points and a copious amount of hair gel. Prominent Republicans usually have a few key traits around which they focus their campaigns: Santorum and Huckabee had their religious zeal, Bush and Palin had their relatable personas and McCain and Cheney had their American allegiance through service. These traits were always dangerous liabilities, as well as assets, but Romney simply has none.

So, while other candidates fall out of relevancy because of scandal or slip-ups or the fact that, at the end of the day, they are Donald Trump, Romney remains — not because he is exceptional, but for precisely the opposite reason — because he is too bland to attack.

It is very telling that Romney supporters care more about defeating Obama than they do about the economy or wars (this isn’t conjecture on my part, but rather a fact that has been confirmed at exit poll after exit poll). Romney’s primary defining characteristic is his opposition to Obama. His lack of distinction allows him to define himself as an alternative to Obama, rather than a politician, and he hopes that opposition to Obama will be enough to carry him to the White House.

Some see this as an asset, and for now it is. Were Romney any more controversial, he might have lost the advantage to Santorum. But in the long run, being inoffensive is not a winning strategy. Democrats and moderates have no grudge against Obama, and under these circumstances, deposing an incumbent is nearly impossible. Without some special distinction — something that can win over apathetic or undecided voters — Romney can never overcome Obama’s advantage.

Republicans have made an error. Romney’s generic conservatism will win him the nomination, but it will lose him the election.

Nathan James is a freshman majoring in public relations. His column runs biweekly on Mondays.