In his introduction earlier this week, Romney gave the group a list of more than 20 policy areas and asked them to rank which were most important. His team, data-driven as always, crunched the numbers after getting responses from the guests. Topping the list of priorities: deficits and debt, spurring growth in the private sector, education, immigration reform and military leadership. Polarizing social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage ranked at the bottom of the list for the group of 200.

DeMoss, who had dinner with Romney and wife Ann on the night of Obama’s second inauguration, said he believed that Romney was still working through what role he should take on the policy front. DeMoss and many others cited examples like that of President Clinton, who has embraced a role as a sort of elder statesman — albeit after two presidential wins, not losses.

Romney “just wants to see what people’s appetite is for trying to do something significant,” said DeMoss, who said he could imagine the group meeting several times a year. “There’s no evidence he’s come here with a strategy that he wants people to get behind. I really sense he’s convening to find out what people’s appetite is for engaging and heavy lifting.”

Since his defeat, Romney has said in interviews that he does not expect to drive the agenda for Republicans as they look ahead to 2016.