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Subscribe to RSSLaconia, Dover, and Hampton, NH--Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman wouldn't rule out spending more of his personal fortune on his flagging presidential campaign during a campaign swing in New Hampshire.
Huntsman, who's struggled to gain traction in the polls and whose campaign was saddled with almost $1 million in debt at the end of Sept., said when asked by a reporter if he will pump personal cash into his New Hampshire-centric operation: "It's not about putting money in. It's about messaging."
"As we go up and gain traction in New Hampshire, our fundraising goes up 250 percent. So it's the marketplace at work. If we do well here and if the polls ahead we're showing signs of life, money will come," Huntsman said hopefully on Sunday.
Huntsman stuck to an aggressive campaign schedule in New Hampshire, trudging through the snow to four campaign stops Sunday despite the fact that much of New Hampshire had been without power for 24 hours due to a major weekend snowstorm.
Huntsman, who loaned his campaign $2 million last quarter, also criticized the role of super PACs in campaigns. Our Destiny PAC, the super PAC organized to support Huntsman, has yet to execute any advertising on his behalf.
"If you could wish away all the SuperPACs, I would do that in an instant. We don't need that," Huntsman told reporters. "In fact you know the sad commentary is to remain competitive today you've got to have organizations raise money to do this and that. Is that the best way to do it? I don't think so. I don't think we've found the best way to finance campaigns."
According to his campaign's recent fundraising reports, Huntsman is suffering from a cash flow problem. His campaign only had a paltry $300,000 cash on hand at the end of the quarter 3 along with nearly $900,000 of debt. Many have wondered if his billionaire father, Jon Huntsman Sr., will contribute to Our Horizon.
Huntsman, who this fall folded his multi-state strategy and moved his national campaign headquarters to New Hampshire for financial reasons, has sustained more aggressive attacks against GOP front runners in the Granite State during this campaign swing.
Just days after launching a web video criticizing Mitt Romney, Huntsman distributed hard copies of his economic plan to voters at town hall meetings before criticizing each of his competitors' alternatives.
"People don't want a well-lubricated weather vane," Huntsman said of Mitt Romney. "They don't want someone who's been on every side of all the major issues of the day, from life right on to what's playing out in Ohio on union reform. They want someone who's gonna be straight up and consistent."
"And Rick Perry's a friend. He's put forward a flat tax and I say, 'I did a flat tax as governor.' That's a pretty good thing but the problem with Rick's plan is that it's an option and we're still stuck with the same old system," he said in Dover of the Texas governor. "That doesn't get us where we need to be."
Huntsman called Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan "a non-starter with Congress."
On a lighter note, Huntsman said he is taking cues on campaign strategy from his three daughters, who have become notable for their tweets and now a video from the campaign trail. Abby, Mary Anne and Liddy Huntsman recently published a YouTube video poking fun at Herman Cain's viral ad featuring his campaign manager Mark Block smoking a cigarette. The video some voters said on Sunday has gotten more attention on the New Hampshire campaign than Huntsman himself.
"You [campaign] in the old fashioned way that I do, you give important policy speeches here and there and a few people tune in," Huntsman told voters in Hampton. "And your daughters get on YouTube and it goes viral. I say, 'Okay I’m beginning to understand how politics works these days.'"
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The one normal guy they (GOP) have, and he can't get any traction at all. Sad.
As fast as all the other candidates are flaming out he just may end up on top of the heap.
It's not the money, Huntsman. Your simply not crazy enough for them.
The one normal guy they (GOP) have, and he can't get any traction at all. Sad
huntsman is far from normal....he said Obama was a "brilliant leader".
That sentence alone disqualifies him....it shows that he lacks rational thought
Rob in ma-3189632
huntsman is far from normal....he said Obama was a "brilliant leader".
You see why he's the only normal person in your field.......he sure recognizes the truth. It sure guts you when a GOPer recognizes Obama quality.
recognizes Obama quality...
yeah obama's doing a bang up job! That why 8 in people think the country's heading in the wrong direction.
So, those 8 are the 'in' crowd, then?
sorry 8 in 10 (or just under that) think the country's heading in the wrong direction.
that's kind of tough on the guy in the drivers seat
Rob,
Seems to me that those 8 are the same 8 of the 9 that disapproves of the job Congress is doing meanwhile only 5 of those 8 disapprove of the job our President is doing.
yes good point dennis....
the senate will go republican as well.
DBO, so true.
Huntsman would be an excellent candidate but his problem is he actually makes sense; he doesn't cater to the teapublicans, the evangelicals or the various other far right views we're hearing from the others.
Ever occur to you, Rob, that the reason people think the country is headed in the wrong direction has little to do with President Obama and everything to do with a dysfunctional Congress, anger and frustration with the GOP House doing nothing and the GOP in the Senate blocking everything, plus GOPers gone wild in the states? The Occupy movement reflects a great deal more than dissatisfaction with President Obama. Oh, no, can't think that.
Rob,
And the House will return to Dem control – only 25 seats needed.
In the beginning I had some concern that Huntsman might be some actual competition for Obama, but I'm no longer worried about it. The GOP is too crazy to nominate a sensible person like Huntsman.
What do these guys get out of wasting so much money running for a job they have little or no chance of getting?
Amy,
perhaps Mr Huntsman and others are truly patriotic, and concerned about how Obama is bankrupting and ruining this country with his radical Left policies, and put themselves out there, subject to liberal media ridicule.
By contrast, many liberals support Big Government and the Nanny State because their own snouts are in the public trough, not out of supposed 'compassion'....
Bob-1887910
"perhaps Mr Huntsman and others are truly patriotic, and concerned about how Obama is bankrupting and ruining this country with his radical Left policies, and put themselves out there, subject to liberal media ridicule"
Bush and not Obama took over from Clinton, a healthy economy.
Bush handed Obama the worst recession in recent time. It's not your fault that you keep repeating the lies of the right nuts since you didn't make them but sincerely Bob, you have to do you some good by staying off Faux News.
Amy,
They get to literally put the cash they raise in their pockets if their campaigns don't succeed, don't they? That's what I've heard. If it's true, it's one more indication of what's wrong with our campaign contribution system.
He's probably setting himself up for 2016 on the off-chance the GOP throws out the crazies running the show.
Jody, Iowa: I have no doubt you are correct. Jon Huntsman is positioning himself for a 2016 run. At this time there is no Republican candidate who is strong enough to defeat President Obama, even as weak as he is perceived to be at this point. Hopefully, the GOP will rid itself of the Koch brothers, Tea Party / Grover Norquist insanity and get back to attempting to govern the nation.
Ronald Reagan did well because he spoke from the right-center and acted from the middle. The problem with today's GOP is that it talks from the far extreme right and the Tea Party (which is currently its driving force) expects it to act even farther to the right. These extremists amount to less than 15% of the country, yet for some reason the GOP is listening to them. Only by a resounding defeat can the GOP finally rid themselves of these extremists and take control of the White House. Jon Huntsman, as a moderate Republican, will be in a strong position to take advantage of the vacuum left in the GOP when these nuts finally implode.
It's a little disingenuous for Gov. Huntsman to complain about how campaigns are financed now. His extremely well-to-do father has been involved in politics for a while, and certainly the appointments to serve in the Reagan, G.H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations came about because of campaign donations from someone connected to Huntsman. He shouldn't be surprised at the turn in GOP politics -- he served as governor alongside Gov. Perry, Gov. Palin, Gov. Romney. The one interesting thing is that it appears that Karl Rove and Crossroads GPS are not giving him their money.... perhaps he had a falling out with the Bush administration (and left to become governor) or perhaps they aren't happy with his positions, but they have a lot of money and no candidate to back.
How lucky for Huntsman that he has personal and family money. Most people aren't so lucky! Too bad he has no chance. The TPGOP wants crazy!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
You lefties mock Republicans who came from wealthly families , like Romney and Huntsman, as elitists; and you mock Republicans who rose up from humble backgrounds, like Herman Cain or Rick Perry, as "pizza salesman" and "country hicks".
You are just tiresome partisan hacks.
Bobby...you still here? Gosh I would have thought by now, you'd be long gone as you find it so inhospitable here to right wingers. Be gone or shut up, YOU are tiresome as you add nothing to the conversation.
Bob numbers, seriously? Didn't see anyone mock Huntsman's family money but rather comments that pertained to how that money earned them more. It isn't Huntsman or Romney or the money any of them have, it's the corruptness of our political system that allows the money donated to be hidden from the public ala Citizens United.
It is a shame Mr Huntsman doesn't get much press coverage as he seems to be the only civilized Republican Candidate in the fray. I want a president that will consider ALL of the residents of this country, not just the people who paid for his/her campaign. Haven't we had enough of polarized politics in this country?