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Primary 2012
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Huntsman dropping out of race

Campaign officials: He'll back Romney

Huntsman in Concord
Photo by / Monitor staff
Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman speaks to college students in Concord on Jan. 6, 2011.Purchase photo reprints at PhotoExtra »
January 16, 2012
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Jon Huntsman will withdraw today from the race for the Republican presidential nomination, his campaign manager told the Associated Press yesterday.

Campaign manager Matt David said Huntsman will announce his withdrawal at an event in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Huntsman will endorse Mitt Romney, whom he believes is the best candidate to beat President Obama in November, campaign officials said.

The former Utah governor placed third in last week's New Hampshire primary despite devoting most of his campaign resources to the state. He had already acknowledged that expectations for him in South Carolina's primary this week will be "very low."

Word of the Huntsman withdrawal came on the same day The State, South Carolina's largest newspaper, endorsed him for president.

The endorsement said there were "two sensible, experienced grownups in the race," referring to Romney and Huntsman. But it said Huntsman "is more principled, has a far more impressive resume and offers a significantly more important message."

Although Huntsman was viewed as having little traction in South Carolina, his endorsement of Romney could give the former Massachusetts governor, who leads in state polls, even more of the look of inevitability.

The move comes as pressure has been increasing on Texas Gov. Rick Perry to leave the race in order to allow South Carolina's influential social conservatives to unify behind either former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum or former House speaker Newt Gingrich.

Huntsman's resume suggested he could be a major contender for the GOP nomination: businessman, diplomat, governor, veteran of four presidential administrations, an expert on China and on foreign trade.

To distinguish his candidacy in a crowded field, Huntsman positioned himself as a tax-cutting, budget-balancing chief executive and former business executive who could rise above partisan politics.

That would prove to be a hard sell to the conservatives dominating the early voting contests, especially in an election cycle marked by bitter divisions between Republicans and Democrats and a boiling antipathy for President Obama.

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How expected this is
By ItsaRepublic - 01/16/2012 - 4:54 pm

. . but somehow I knew it'd come to this. Huntsman was too much like Obama and we certainly don't need one way moderation in Washington.

The Romney endorsement is outstanding and I am sure it will help the inevitability of the Romney nomination. But I guess if you are going to judge someone by their actions, it would be Romney as he is head and shoulders more honorable, honest, experienced, more of a leader, a stronger believer in our prosperity, Huntsman felt these same things but his approach would not have worked. Romney had to run Massachusetts as a moderate to be able to get the results he did. I don't blame him for his health care plan, the legislature perverted it. That is never mentioned.

Huntsman's endorsement will be sufficient for most people to throw support behind Romney. You know what you'll get with Romney, so much more than you would ever get with Obama. Romney will make us proud of this country again regardless of his past record of how he ran Massachusetts. But times have changed and The GOP climate is now a collection of traditional Americans with traditional values and Tea party types who should be admired for their strong stance in defense of a great America.

In this case I will be intellectually honest, unlike some folks and will support Romney.

We need to fire the man and his wife who "for the first time" was proud of her country in 2008.
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"the legislature perverted it. That is never mentioned."
By BillFromDover - 01/16/2012 - 9:39 pm

I'll give ya the benefit of a typo on this one, otherwise, go for it!

"You know what you'll get with Romney,"
Surely, ya jest? Name one issue he hasn't had at least 992 different positions on.

I'll take vanilla and chocolate on the crunchier cone http://wiki.answers.com/Q/An_Ice_cream_shop_offers_31_different_flavors_...
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Unfortunately
By ItsaRepublic - 01/16/2012 - 10:47 pm

We do know that we will get and have gotten from Obama........utter and complete failure to lead or manage, a more dangerous world and continued economic decline. If you like that then support Obama.

I think Romney would be a much better chief executive.
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How sad it is . . .
By Hunter_Dan - 01/16/2012 - 12:23 pm

. . . but somehow I knew it'd come to this. Our polarized political climate has no room for someone willing to put country before party. What a shame.

The Romney endorsement is a bit troubling to say the least. But I guess if you are going to judge someone by their actions instead of their words - and considering Romney's record as Governor of Massachusetts - it's an obvious choice for Huntsman to back him. After all Romney ran Massachusetts as a moderate Republican in the mold of . . . well in the mold of Jon Huntsman!

Still, Huntsman's endorsement is not sufficient for me to throw my support behind him. You never know what you'll get with Romney. One could make a case that based on his past behavior he will run the country like he ran Massachusetts - which I would be ok with. But times have changed and The GOP climate has changed. Romney rode the moderate wave in Mass 'cause he had to. I'm afraid he will now ride the "tea party tide" because he feels he has to.

In that case I may be bucking this year's trend and end up voting for Obama in November - for the FIRST time.
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LOL
By GWTW - 01/17/2012 - 4:51 am

Huntsman is no stooge. Better to get out of the race than to finish behind Colbert in SC.
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Here's my problem with Rommie:
By BillFromDover - 01/16/2012 - 9:26 pm

Even as a moderate in bat-guano-crazy clothing,( https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQtefm6gqKLOpCJyo4a8... ) if someone will consistently lie to gain the presidency, what's to stop him after he gains it?
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Romney
By RabbitNH - 01/16/2012 - 3:19 pm

I think Romney ran Mass the way he did because he had no choice. He ran for Gov to get his feet wet in politics, probably to see if he liked it.

I think his appeal to many is his business sense. I also think that he realizes that moderate is the way to go. We had Bush who was too conservative and Obama who is too Liberal. The truth is that folks are not going to deal with any party that is too extreme.

The Economy, Debt and Jobs are the real issues.

Ya just gotta vote for who you think can produce. And the other truth is that there is no perfect candidate.

I think that the differences between Obama and whoever gets the Rep Nomination will be so wide, that making a decision might not be as hard as we think.
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Yup!
By FigsMom - 01/16/2012 - 1:41 pm

Couldn't agree more and am right there with you Hunter Dan.
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