BACKGROUND
Jon Huntsman first gained national prominence for becoming the youngest ambassador in 100 years after George H. W. Bush appointed him the U.S. Ambassador to Singapore in 1992. Under George W. Bush, Huntsman served as a Deputy Trade Representatives. Huntsman then served as Governor of Utah from 2001 to 2009, leaving with an approval rating of over 80% and Pew Center recognition of Utah as the best managed state. President Obama appointed him U.S. Ambassador to China in 2009, a position that he left in April of 2011 in order to return to the United States to explore a bid for the presidency.
POLL NUMBERS AND MONEY
Huntsman’s poll numbers are consistently in the low single digits. In the last Des Moines Register poll before the Iowa Caucuses, Huntsman placed last with only 2% of Iowans indicating him as their top choice. In New Hampshire, where he has concentrated most of his effort, Huntsman is polling among likely voters at only 9%, a solid 3rd place finish.
MAJOR POLICY STANCES
Although labeled a moderate among the Republican nominees, Huntsman does have traditional conservative stances on most policy issues. He supports the construction of a wall between the United States and Mexico, though as Utah Governor he signed a law allowing illegal-immigrants to receive “driving privilege cards.” He is pro-life, and is against same-sex marriage (though not civil unions). Huntsman has frequently pointed to simplification of the tax code as a major campaign issue, arguing that closing loopholes could help significantly with U.S. debt reduction. He supports lowering the corporate tax rate, and many of his policy stances are pro-business. In terms of foreign policy, Huntsman has focused mainly on potential U.S. leadership in Asia, particularly emphasizing the benefits of teaming with China to confront a North Korean nuclear threat. Huntsman is perhaps most notable for his belief in global warming, and he has frequently spoken critically of his “anti-science” opponents.
STRENGTHS
Huntsman’s experience both domestic and international is significant. This has helped him frequently in debates, particularly against the less-experienced candidates such as Bachmann and Perry. In general, his greatest strength is his appeal to both moderate Republicans and Democrats dissatisfied with President Obama. However, this popularity is little shown in Republican primaries where the highly conservative base has not warmed to the former Utah governor.
CHALLENGES
The moderate label is a double-edged sword for Huntsman. Instead of running as a reform-minded, conservative former governor and Washington outsider, he embraced the imagery of bipartisanship. His campaign highlighted his recent service as Obama’s Ambassador to China and willingness to cooperate with Democrats rather than the job growth and tax cuts he helped foster in Utah. The GOP electorate, having taken a sharp rightward turn over the past four years, has not embraced these qualities of Huntsman. Additionally, many voters do not see Huntsman as sufficiently socially conservative.
PROSPECTS
Huntsman has staked his entire campaign on a strong finish in the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday. The demographics and strong independent presence are conducive to a candidate of his background. For all the hours logged in the Granite State though, his poll numbers have failed to take off. Unless Huntsman pulls off an incredibly strong second place finish, his slim chance of winning the nomination will disappear.