Campaign Notes: Following Huntsman's lead

By John Barron

Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman's one-state presidential campaign is over. His third place in last week's New Hampshire primary was not enough to give him a bounce into contention in South Carolina and Florida. So, despite the availability of limitless contributions from his billionaire father's SuperPAC, Huntsman has called it quits. It wasn't quite the $50 million folly of Rudy Giuliani's 2008 Florida-or-bust strategy, but it comes close. We may never know the real cost of that 17 per cent chunk of the vote in New Hampshire, but I guess when your last name is shared with one of the top ten corporations in America, it's safe to say it ain't about the money.

Jon Huntsman (Photo: Patrick Gensel)

Jon Huntsman simply found himself battling for the same moderate-pragmatic-establishment wing of the GOP that Mitt Romney locked up months ago. And while it was never going to  be fertile ground for him, skipping Iowa's caucuses was probably a mistake, because it took him off the televised debate stage in December, when the host broadcasters decided he wasn't competing and therefore didn't qualify.

Those two December Iowa debates could have given Huntsman another few percent in New Hampshire.

Nevertheless, Huntsman has dropped out and endorsed his ideological doppelgänger Romney, and, in doing so, may hand him the not inconsequential gift of another five percent in South Carolina.

If Romney takes three from three this Saturday, we may well see another candidate or two following Jon Huntsman out the door.

17 January 2012