McCain and Romney battle over who is conservative

By Steve Holland

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney argued on Monday over who is the real conservative with their battle headed toward a Super Tuesday climax.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, sought to stir discontent among conservatives who are skeptical about Arizona Sen. McCain's record of having voted against President George W. Bush's tax cuts and his moderate views on illegal immigration.

"A lot of people said it is going to be a very easy race for Senator McCain. But across the country conservatives have come together and said, 'You know what, we don't want Senator McCain. We want a conservative to be in the White House'," Romney told supporters in Nashville.

McCain ripped Romney at a campaign rally in Hamilton, New Jersey, saying Romney presided over a "big government, mandated health care plan" as governor of Massachusetts.

McCain said he has long been in favor of cutting federal spending and is a strong proponent of facing down the challenge of Islamic extremism -- positions he said are at the heart of conservatism.

"So I'm proud of my record in the Senate as a staunch conservative," McCain said.

McCain has a lead over Romney in many states and has a chance of emerging from the Tuesday nominating contests as the presumptive Republican nominee.

But he is in a close battle with Romney in California, a big prize among the 21 states that are holding Super Tuesday contests for Republicans in their race to determine who will face the Democrats' choice in the November election.