Huntsman to Quit 2012 Presidential Run, Will Endorse Romney

On Sunday night the news started to come out – Huntsman is no longer seeking the presidency of the United States.

The former governor of Utah and Obama administration ambassador to China told his campaign advisers that he would be dropping out of the race in an official announcement on Monday and that he would be endorsing Mitt Romney for the nomination. Jon Huntsman’s campaign Manager, Matt David announced the news in a Sunday evening interview. “The governor and his family, at this point in the race, decided it was time for Republicans to rally around a candidate who could beat Barack Obama and turn around the economy – That candidate is Gov. Mitt Romney.”

Huntsman managed only to best “other” in the Iowa caucuses and despite focusing heavily on New Hampshire at the expense of other states, only placed third. An all-but-guaranteed failure in South Carolina and a no-show in Florida were his next two prospects – prospects he’d rather not have to face.

Although his policy decisions in Utah were very aligned with Conservative values, he chose to run from the middle at the get-go which turned off many Conservative voters. Huntsman forgot that the primaries are about the base early on and that means, he doesn’t make it past that point.

His choice for campaign advisers may also have ultimately led to his too-moderate-to-matter campaign. John Weaver, a top adviser on the McCain presidential campaign, has been at the front of the Huntsman for president effort.

There is one more piece of good news from this announcement – Americans will not have to hear Huntsman remind them that he was an ambassador to China, the governor of Utah nor will they have to hear him scold another candidate in Mandarin Chinese.