Will Jon Huntsman Impact the 2012 Field?
Mallie Jane Kim

June 26, 2011

The former U.S. ambassador to China and Utah governor announced his candidacy

After releasing a countdown of scenic motocross videos, former U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman announced he is officially entering the 2012 race for the GOP nomination. With the Statue of Liberty in the background, Huntsman, who served two terms as Utah's governor, talked about reforming tax code, creating jobs, and solving the debt crisis -- typical GOP themes. "For the first time in our history, we are about to pass down to the next generation a country that is less powerful, less compassionate, less competitive, and less confident than the one we got," he said. "What we need now is leadership that ... doesn't promise Washington has all the solutions to our problems, but rather looks to local solutions in our cities, towns, and states."

With some calling him another Mitt Romney (both are handsome Mormons and sons of wealthy businessmen), is Huntsman's announcement just more political noise, or will he impact the field?

His executive and foreign policy experience may be extensive, but Huntsman has a lot of work to do to gain the kind of name recognition and popularity Romney enjoys -- a Real Clear Politics average of polls put Huntsman in last place among all likely candidates, with only 1.3 percent, compared to frontrunner Romney's 24.4 percent. And there's already criticism of Huntsman from the far right: He worked for President Obama as the ambassador to China. Huntsman defended his most recent job as a call of duty to serve his country, despite differences in political views with the president.

This attitude highlights a key difference between Huntsman and the rest of the GOP field, though, and he highlighted that difference in his announcement speech. "I don't think you need to run down anyone's reputation to run for president. Of course we'll have our disagreements," he said. "I respect my fellow Republican candidates. And I respect the president."

In a heated GOP primary, this is a risky play, despite the fact that there have been several calls for sanity, civility, and respect in politics over the past year. But will the high road simply make Huntsman too bland to gain attention, or will he stand out as the hoped-for dark horse savior of the GOP field?

U.S. News blogger Alvin Felzenberg believes Huntsman is less dark horse and more the media's flavor of the moment. "Every four or eight years, the media decides that the current crop of presidential contenders is not up to the task of being president, by their lights," he writes. "They then create a bubble of relentless coverage of the person they deem might be."

Huntsman's Mormon religion could also pose political hurdle to gaining support among voters.

As U.S. News blogger Susan Milligan points out, a Gallup poll suggests 22 percent of Americans say they wouldn't vote for a Mormon. And, Milligan writes, the problem may be bigger than that. "It may not be that 22 percent of voters won't cast a ballot for a Mormon; it may only be that 22 percent will admit to it."

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