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Subscribe to RSSCHARLESTON, SC -- Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman won the endorsement of South Carolina's largest newspaper, The State, on Sunday morning. The announcement comes six days before the Palmetto State primary as Huntsman attempts to quickly gain last- minute traction after spending very little time in the state. Huntsman finished a distant third in the New Hampshire primary after campaigning there for nearly six months straight.
This is the second time Huntsman has been endorsed by a major newspaper with just days to go before an early state primary this cycle. Shortly before the New Hampshire primary, the Boston Globe also backed the former ambassador to China. Like the Globe, The State praises both Huntsman and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney but stops short of endorsing the front-runner.
"There are actually two sensible, experienced grownups," The State editorial said, giving a nod to front-runner Romney. "And while Mr. Romney is far more appealing than any of the other choices, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is more principled, has a far more impressive resume and offers a significantly more important message."
The State, which endorsed Barack Obama and John McCain in the 2008 primary and McCain in that year's general election, said Huntsman stands "heads and shoulders above the field on foreign policy," praised his economic recovery plan and called his terms as Utah governor demonstrative of a "true conservative" record.
Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele and former DNC Chairman Howard Dean discuss the endorsement of Jon Huntsman by The State newspaper in South Carolina.
The paper also highlighted Huntsman's decision to accept a post as Obama's ambassador to China as a strength.
"He was a popular and successful governor in an extremely conservative state, well positioned to become a leading 2012 presidential contender, when Mr. Obama asked him to serve in arguably our nation’s most important diplomatic post, U.S. ambassador to China," the editorial said. "It could be political suicide, but he didn’t hesitate. As he told our editorial board, 'When the president asks you to serve, you serve.'"
This endorsement will certainly boost Huntsman's struggling campaign here in South Carolina but could be a last-minute addition that comes too late. Although Huntsman has been long supported by big names in the state like former state attorney general Henry McMaster and sitting attorney general Alan Wilson, his organization here is struggling. With very little financial resources, a tiny and often frustrated staff, and low name recognition, Huntsman is working hard not to finish last. In the latest state-wide polls, Huntsman remains in the single digits, well behind Romney and Newt Gingrich.
"I want to beat expectations like we did in New Hampshire. You have to beat expectations to keep moving on," a cautious Huntsman told reporters last night in Hilton Head. "Let's not draw too many conclusions until we get to the 24- or 48-hours mark."
Regardless, the campaign is "so pleased" that the paper chose Huntsman. "This endorsement continues the momentum our campaign is carrying out of a late surge in New Hampshire," spokesman Tim Miller told NBC News on Sunday morning.
At the same time, the candidate has long been generally skeptical of the actual impact of endorsements at the voting booth.
"Endorsements, I think, are way overplayed in politics," Huntsman said last night, before receiving The State's backing. "It still comes down to individuals having to determine for themselves who are best able to lead this country."
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Huntsman is dead in the water. Give it up, already. It's Mitt or Ron. I choose the latter.
Huntsman is now the sixth or seventh GOP "flavor of the month." I wonder who the next one will be.
It doesn't really matter. Romney will pile up the delegate votes and be nominated....
....And lose the election by a huge margin. [Of course, he can count on carrying Utah, Oklahoma, and perhaps Mississippi, but if I were him I wouldn't count on much else.]
The country may have a chance to regain its strength if Huntsman can get his message out. He is not having the same status quo agenda as the others, he knows what is going on internationally and has a good vission for pulling the jobs back to the US.
Jon Huntsman is intelligent and reasonable. These traits are not welcome in GOP primaries.
Hey MSNBC where is the Senator Tom Davis endorsement of Ron Paul. No one cares what the papers think anymore. Tom Davis has more poll in that state than all the newspapers combined.
RON PAUL 2012!! I love how MSM is totally ignoring all the endorsements Dr. Paul is getting. Demint, now Davis. RON PAUL OR NOBODY FOR PRESIDENT!
wow
Funny how the news works. Huntsman gets a rinky dinky newspaper endorsement and its front page news. While at the same time, Ron Paul gets an endorsement from SC Senator Tom Davis and its being swept under the rub like it's no big deal. Maybe its not, but for the whole presidential campaign the media, along with all all the runners have been praising how much an endorsement from Tom Davis would mean in SC. Now that he has endorsed Ron Paul the media will claim it all of a sudden doesn't mean anything.
Lets be fair here.
They also aren't mentioning the fact that Ron Paul is now 2nd in the polls. Hey MSNBC give the true conservative some LOVE
RON PAUL THE ONLY TRUE CONSERVATIVE
I hope he rises up. He is the sleeper that can defeat Obama. Obama already aknowledges his ability as a statesman. There is something about him that is presidential.
Probably the empty rhetoric and posturing...
HUNTSMAN needs to tear up the debate tomorrow! and explain his position with the ryan plan and i think he could run solid down to his home FL.
So what. RON PAUL JUST RECEIVED A REAL ENDORSEMENT FROM TOM DAVIS SC STATE SENATOR. HE IS ALSO ENDORSED BY JIM DEMINT.
Huntsman is finished, done and not even on the Virginia ballot. He is just burning money and votes.
RON PAUL OR NOBODY FOR PRESIDENT 2012!
Does anyone know if Huntsman and Mittens are friends or what?
BTW: Obama/Biden win in 2012! No doubt!!
Why would it matter if they were friends or not CD? This shouldn't be a popularity contest! And no, Obama coming back for four more years.....Haven't we had enough of him being the puppet for the Democratic party. They only put him forward as candidate because he was inexperienced and malleable. I've seen enough of it, even though I originally had hoped he could make a "change" for the better.
Fool me once...
I'm an Independent and he's the only one I'd vote for.
With you Mike, although I will have serious considerations for the rest of them and I'm Independent, too.
I hope President Obama calls on John Huntsman to serve his country again during his second term. John is a decent person and deserving of political opportunity. I disagree with his acceptance of Austrian economics as a solution to current national economic situation which requires more Keynsian approach than depression-era conservativism. Austerity for the poor will not invigorate economic recovery. Raising the minimum wage will stimulate economic recovery.
I don't care who wins WHAT endorsement....can't any of us make up our own minds instead of cowtowing to the media?
Does anyone go out to their websites and research them as human beings and their records?
Ron Paul is an extremest with a line drawn in the sand. Actually, he kind of reminds me of Obama with his cult following. No disrespect to the man, but he is not effective enough in speaches to beet Obama and he has no flexibility. For him, it's always that line in the sand.
Romney has the most experience at cutthroat and the most financial background in how the game is played. He's also the most effective speaker out of the bunch, which is why he is winning. Did any of us learn anything from Obama, the prompter king? To give him credit, I really like the fact that he is a negotiator and knows how big business thinks.
Gingrich...the jury is still out for me. He's the second most effective in debates from a speaking level. My biggest concern with him is he is a lifelong politician (whatever form it took) and I'm really worried about all his connections, leading to the same thing the American Public has always faced in politics, that we are all sick of. Shake my hand, contribute to me and I will take care of you politics. On the other hand, he could really use those connections to make a healthy difference in our economy.
Perry I like on a personal level. I just don't see him making headway in this race. Out of them all, he's the least effective speaker, but I really like his platform, so I am sadly shaking my head.
Santorum, really like the man, his platform, but I want to see more of him in the future and a little more seasoning in the bigger arena. If he were to make it for the nomination, I think I might actually vote for him, but still would be a little worried.
Huntsman, absolutely love his platform, and his record. In fact, he's the only candidate I donated funds to, limited though they have been, mostly because I want to see where he can take this. He is not the most eloquent speaker, but he is steadfast and consistent in his message and he has a proven message and record. If he doesn't make it this time I really want to see him in the future.
I'm not into bashing any of them, and I get so tired of reading the attacks on here. What I'd really like to see is someone actually doing the research on all of them, then commenting, debating on here in a reasonable manner.
Jon Huntsman won't get far in 2012 but he may do okay in 2016. So long as the Republican party moves toward the center. If they remain pegging the right some extremist like we are seening now might be their nominee and Hillary Clinton or whoever the Democrats nominate will have another easy win. While Huntsman is no liberal he is far more desireable than the flip flopping liar Romney and the extremists like Gingrich, Perry, Paul, and Santorum.
I hope you're wrong, baldeagle, but I'm a realist. Like I said, if he doesn't make it here, I would really like to see him in the future. He is the most steadfast out of the bunch, just like the bunch who founded the ideals this country is based on, not a flash in the pan. I just hope others see that, that he has a core foundation that is solid, a proven record that backs him up. I don't agree with all of him, but dog-gone, about 90% of him, which is more belief than I've had in the political arena in over 20 years.
Huntsman is a democrat. He can go to the left and run with Obama.
Actually, no he's not, Taylor, because he actually believes in free enterprise, something Obama wants to take the funds from but doesn't support.
The editor for The State had one thing right, Huntsman is far more principled than Romney. Romney is a dangerous, greedy, slick piece of work. He will say anything or do anything to get the two things he wants most, more money and more power. We do not need someone which such severe character flaws running our country.
Ross, I have my own worries about Romney, but I don't know that I'd call him unprincipled. Everyone keeps attacking this "Bain" capital background, which is a dual edged sword for Romney, and I agree with Gingrich that it should be vetted now, not when he faces Obama down the road, if he get's the nomination. Romney, he did the job he was supposed to do, which in his case was find opportunity for his investors, who were relying on him to lead the way, and yes, profits. Isn't that the hallmark of what the US is supposed to be? He's getting mud-slinging because he made some hard choices and yes, it affected peoples lives, sometimes not for the better. Hopefully, those people didn't give up, chased a different dream or made their own dreams come true. You can't knock the man for doing his job, but we will. For me it's not about that, for me, it's about the fact that Huntsman has a proven political success that created jobs, lowered taxes and he left his state stronger when he came out of office than when he went in. That's a powerful message.
It's nice to see that not everyone in SC is so dumb as not to see Huntsman as the Republican's best candidate.
Actually, Jack, I'd like to see the American Public see that Huntsman is actually a solution to the problem we have in the US, not as an underdog, but someone who can really make change happen, instead of paying attention to the most savvy at debate and speech. The man has a foundation....a REAL foundation to come from, and while I don't agree with all of him, I really believe that he is the best person to really make changes in this country, long term. I will vote for whomever in the Republican party that takes the nomination, unless Huntsman runs Independent if he loses the nomination, because I am not into another four years of Obama shoving things down the Americans throat in his first two years and his inability to network the last year. Believe it or not, I'm an independent...goes to show you how fed up I am with Obama and his party for making him a puppet for their ideals. There's no honor there.
I say four more years for Obama. Communism is getting interesting. Let's see if the commies really have it in them to keep power long term. (I know, "you don't know what a commie is", but apparently the democrats do since they nominated one.)
I live in Columbia, South Carolina...believe me, an endorsement from THE STATE is hardly anythng special. It really is a piece of crap. But I am glad that the gave it to Huntsman....I always like the underdog.
I love it, Ron Paul picks up an endorsement from Tom Davis/Tea Party and nary a whisper, but Huntsman... a longshot pony if ever, gets a newpaper to kick in and the MSM is vocal there.
Not only that, but other outlets are reporting that Huntsman is dropping out, let the shennanigans ensue.
They sure know how to pick 'em. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
Since Huntsman just dropped out of the race, will they now endorse Romney, who was clearly their second choice?
I guess I should add AND endorsed Romney himself! The fat lady just sung!
Does everyone BUT MSNBC know that Jon Hunstamn has dropped out of the race and endorsed Romney?