Newt is not the most conservative candidate running. He isn’t my first choice, nor my second choice. But he’s a good choice. Other than ideas, what he brings to the table is a track record of getting conservative things accomplished in DC.
If you take the perspective that you’re not going to get 100% of what you want anyway, you can logically choose either the person who is going to go in with the strongest bargaining stance (i.e. the most conservative ideologically), or the person who can get the best deal (i.e. the best negotiator). I think Newt is more of the second persuasion.
While I personally think that Newt would be the best VP imaginable and I would prefer to see him in that position, he would be a competent and conservative enough President.
He is such a historian that during his administration he would have some time to think about history.
Where we have been and where we are going will be a big part of his off hours thoughts as he thinks about his legacy.
I believe that is an extra benefit.