Could Jon Huntsman possibly win New Hampshire?

[monmouth]

Huntsman was recently on Morning Joe and was welcomed warmly. He was articulate, his saneness showed, he was funny and came off as very intelligent, very knowledgeable on the issues, etc. Joe was sort of gushing over him as was the rest of the panel. I'm getting the feeling he could be a dark horse in this race after the loose cannons fall by the wayside.

New Hampshire is a State of sane, conservative people who think for themselves and am just wondering out loud if he could make a big jump in that contest. If I were a repub (gasp) and fed up with the choices I've seen so far being touted by the media, wouldn't a second look at Huntsman be advisable? Just wondering.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. I doubt it.

He's too sane for the crazies that need the Palin-kook-fringe types.

[teddy51]

2. I've said on DU a number of times, if a Republican had to win the WH

this guy seems the least destructive to me. I should add that Huntsman is a Mormon, so not sure how that would play for the Republican Religious vote, obviously the same thing that Romney is facing.

[rurallib]

3. I do not see that he is truly much different

just uses different words.
Whoever wins will be a puppet of David & Charles and all the others anyway.

[teddy51]

6. You might be right, but I would much rather him than the other (very) crazies on the right. I by

means want any Republican in the WH, just to clarify.

[jenmito]

9. Um, no. You've said: "...and I still think he should switch parties, and run in 2012."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=820801#820809

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

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[CakeGrrl]

31. Calling out double-talk is "stalking"?

Funny that.

[WI_DEM]

37. He may be the sanest, but he's still quite conservative, anti-choice and much less liberal

than even Obama, so he isn't really a good alternative and not somebody we should be encouraging to switch parties. We have enough DINO's like Nelson of Nebraska.

[MilesColtrane]

4. He has no money.

He'll be lucky to get more votes than Ron Paul.

[FrenchieCat]

7. He has a personal fortune.....

Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman listed between $15 million and $66 million in personal assets in a government filing released Friday.

The former Utah governor has extensive holdings worth between $5 million and $25 million in Huntsman Corp., the family chemical company started by his billionaire father, Jon Sr.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/huntsman-discloses-his-personal-wealth/2011/09/09/gIQAJp6KGK_story.html

More on Huntsman....
The Utah Taxpayers Association estimates that "tax cuts from 2005 to 2007 totaled $407 million." Huntsman proposed eliminating the corporate franchise tax for small businesses making less than $5 million. He eliminated Utah's progressive income tax (with a top rate of 7%) with a flat tax of 5%. He cut sales tax on unprepared food from 4.70% to 1.75%. The statewide sales tax rate was also cut from 4.75% to 4.65%. Although, some people saw very minor tax increases and he did raise motor vehicle registration fees. He proposed a 400% increase in cigarette taxes, but was never signed into law.

In a 2008 evaluation of state governors' fiscal policies, the libertarian Cato Institute praised Huntsman's conservative tax policies, ranking him in a tie for fifth place on overall fiscal policy. He was particularly lauded for his efforts to cut taxes. The report specifically highlighted his reductions of the sales tax and simplification of the tax code.<65> However, the report concluded that: "Unfortunately, Huntsman has completely dropped the ball on spending, with per capita spending increasing at about 10 percent annually during his tenure."<65> He defines his taxation policy as "business friendly".<66>

As the governor of Utah, Huntsman signed numerous bills restricting abortion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Jr.

[MilesColtrane]

18. To be more precise, his campaign has no money,

It is well over two million dollars in debt.

Sure, he can start writing checks on his personal accounts at any time, but he didn't amass that much money by throwing wads of it away.

[Lord Tredegars Macaw]

22. Campaign doesn't need lots of cash

when you have a Super PAC and a billionaire father. Huntsman Sr's wallet has just started to open. The first pro-Huntsman ads have hit the air in New Hampshire. The crazies will ensure he doesn't get the nomination though.

I see that as a shame. Regardless of my policy differences with Huntsman (and there are many) he IS actually a guy with an impressive record, and a bit of depth to him, which is something you cannot say about the other Republican candidates.

I think we were robbed (by sleazy Rove in South Carolina infamously) of a potentially superb Gore v McCain battle in 2000. An Obama v Huntsman general election next November would be fascinating and, I think, beneficial all round (with an Obama victory!). It would prove that intelligence, and a thoughtful discussion of issues IS important in the political system.

Fortunately for us as a party, but unfortunately for the nation as a whole, the Republicans seem to be in a 'venting' mood. It'll be either Romney or Gingrich (surely Romney?) next November, and I remain convinced that the president will be re-elected far more comfortably than most predict today.

[bahrbearian]

24. Now its like, "Yes you can, I'm not here to lead."

[FrenchieCat]

5. He believes in science and climate change and shit...., and he's Mormon....

Huntsman professes a firm belief in science, rejecting the notion that faith and evolution are mutually exclusive. In response to Rick Perry's creationist world view,<95> Huntsman warned that the Republicans should not become the "anti-science" party, and stated: "To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy."


so I'm not sure he would play that much better than Romney is currently playing
with the Wingnut crowd!



What is hilarious is that Huntsman simply looks sane compared to the rest of the clowns.....
but in reality, folks here would be deeply, deeply unhappy
if he took the White House.....

He is anti-choice.....and so the Supreme court wouldn't be shaping up
as they might have imagined....

plus, he is much more conservative than folks realize, and that's only because
in contrast to the crazy, he looks relatively mild....
but I disagree. He may be smarter than George Bush, but he's of the same ideology,
at the end of the day....
so those folks feeling that they would "accept" a Huntsman OK, don't truly know what
they are agreeing to....

and his background leaves much to be desired....
unless folks here wants a President whose personal fortune was made from a Chemical Company. :shrug:

Early life and education
Huntsman was born March 26, 1960 in Redwood City, California.<2> His mother is Karen Haight Huntsman, daughter of LDS Church apostle David B. Haight.<3> His father is billionaire businessman and philanthropist Jon Huntsman, Sr. of the Huntsman Corporation.<4>

Through his father, Huntsman, Jr. is the great-great-great-grandson of early LDS Church leader Parley P. Pratt,<5>.

In 1975 (age 15), Huntsman earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank of the Boy Scouts of America.<6><7> Huntsman attended Highland High School in Salt Lake City but dropped out before graduating to pursue his passion as a keyboard player in the rock band Wizard.<8><9>

Huntsman later obtained a G.E.D and enrolled at the University of Utah, where he became, like his father, a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Huntsman served as a Mormon missionary in Taiwan for two years. He then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania and received a bachelor's degree in international politics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Jr.
---------------

Note that he has White Skin, and for some people, that's all that is required to be considered "as good, if not better" than Pres. Obama.....so I certainly will not underestimate him, nor will I underestimate his conservatism. Reagan wasn't a fanatic either, and yet his policies were fucked up for most of us.

[monmouth]

10. Thanks Frenchie. You make an excellent point in that next to the

present crop of crazies, he does look good. Great info there, I should have done my homework.LOL

[FrenchieCat]

14. he would be dangerous to us during a general election.....though,

as he appears quite moderate on like 2 issues, and yet he is also an extremist on taxes and other financial matters....as well as in the realm of choice......and yet he could fool perhaps enough folks, with the help of the media, of course! The fact that he isn't down right oogly like the rest of the GOP running, doesn't make him less dangerous as far as taking our nation back instead of forward.

[jenmito]

15. +1. Both MSNBC and CNN are lavishing praise on him...

and Morning Joe slobbers over him daily. He even fools some Dems. here at DU. Independents can vote in NH, so I think he can possibly win there after Gingrich and Romney bloody up each other. Hopefully, though, that would be the end of his wins, since NC comes next.

[bahrbearian]

25. LOL. ,,taking our nation back instead of forward. where have you been the last 3 years?

[MoonRiver]

8. "His saneness showed."

Nope. He won't make it, even in N.H.

Saneness is a disqualifying condition among Rethugs.

[monmouth]

11. Hahaha, I guess looking and listening to the others for so long, Jon

is like the calm after the storm in observation...

[MoonRiver]

13. And I was being serious when I said that.

It is bizarre and rather funny that the Nuts think like that. But, unfortunately, they do! :crazy:

[elleng]

12. I tend to doubt it, as the momentum is nowhere near him.

OTOH, Union Leader endorsed grinch, so anything's possible, I guess.

[LiberalArkie]

16. Jon Huntsman Has A Radical Financial Reform Plan That Even Occupy Wall Street Will Love Read more:

http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-11-28/politics/30449338_1_american-capitalism-capital-requirements-fdic


I would like to see him as the Republican nominee. He might change some of the debate.

[FrenchieCat]

17. He endorsed Ryan's plan for entitlements reform....

and what he is "saying" he would do at the link,
he cannot do without congress....hence we would be
in the same place that we are now, except without
financial reform, and instead saddled with an
anti-choice President who wants a flat tax and
entitlement privatization! Yeah! :eyes:

[center rising]

19. Huntsmann will creep up in the polls in NH, but

Some of his stances on the issues don't jibe with the crazies on the right. He has no shot!!! If Huntsmann did face Obama, it would be a helluva battle.

[bigwillq]

20. Anything is possible (nt)

[Douglas Carpenter]

21. on economic matters he is to the right of Gingrich - even Gingrich saw that the Ryan plan was not

pragmatic while Huntsman gave it his full support. It is true that he can hold a rational conversation and as a former Ambassador to China knows something about foreign policy. He even believes in science. He even proposed gay civil union legislation for Utah when he was Governor. But he is still anti-choice and when it comes to economic matters - Gov. Huntsman is every bit as extreme as any of the rest and to the right of some.

[davidpdx]

26. I would bet against Huntsman winning NH

Could he place 2nd? Maybe, but still unlikely. I'd bet on a 3rd place finish.

[aaaaaa5a]

27. The chance of Huntsman winning NH is very low.

And even if he won it, he has nowhere to go afterwards. He will NEVER win in South Carolina.


The best we can hope for is for Huntsman to take enough votes from Romney so that Romney's NH victory is smaller than expected or another candidate such as Gingrich or Paul win.


A Romney loss in New Hampshire would make his scorecard look like this.


IA-Loss
NH-Loss
SC-Loss
FL-currently trailing.


Its hard to win the GOP nomination with a record like that.

[AlinPA]

28. I'm repeating myself here (why Huntsman can't win the primary)

Why Huntsman can’t win the republican primaries:
1. He supported civil unions as Governor of Utah
2. He said he would not use federal powers to block a law legalizing same-sex marriage.
3. He threatened to veto a bill repealing in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants.
4. He signed a bill giving illegal aliens access to “driving-privilege cards”.
5. He supports granting more H-1B visas to foreigners
6. He has not taken an anti-immigrant or anti-Hispanic stance.
7. He signed the Western Climate Initiative, by which Utah joined with other governments in agreeing to pursue targets for reduced production of greenhouse gases.
8. He appeared in an advertisement sponsored by Environmental Defense, in which he said, “Now it’s time for Congress to act by capping greenhouse-gas pollution"
9. He worked in the Obama administration as an ambassador to China
10. He is a Mormon
11. He said he believes in science
12. He said he believes in evolution.
13. He has said that President Obama is an American citizen.
14. He is too rational, too normal, too genteel for most of today’s conservatives.

[center rising]

29. Huntsman has not shot

[Life Long Dem]

30. Good question.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Gingrich, Huntsman to take part in Lincoln-Douglas-style debate

Two presidential contenders will square off this month 19th Century-style.

Republican candidates Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman have agreed to Lincoln-Douglas-style debate in New Hampshire sometime in the coming weeks, according to Huntsman’s campaign staff.

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/942011-196/gingrich-huntsman-to-take-part-in-lincoln-douglas-style.html

[Hippo_Tron]

32. If he does I have a hunch that rumors about him fathering a black child...

Will be spreading around South Carolina pretty shortly thereafter. Just a hunch, though...

[Lord Tredegars Macaw]

33. Exactly!

And it'll be Groundhog Day for John Weaver.

Clearly the Republican establishment settled on Mitt Romney (it's his turn, after all) but with the base struggling to contain their displeasure, they seem to have switched to that old 90s throwback Newt Gingrich. A man with so much baggage he needs Passepartout to follow him around on the campaign trail to carry it all.

No way would they want Huntsman. His recent plan to rein in the banks (where would Newt get his next pay-check from?) sounds dangerously like Teddy Roosevelt Republicanism. That would never do. Plus, although a conservative, Huntsman appears to have the suspicious trait of individual thought. He told Donald Trump where to go, yesterday, actually knows something about other nations.......no, no, no, he would never do.

Don't even get the GOP base started on Huntsman and science......

[oberliner]

34. Prediction: no

In fact, I see him dropping out of the race just after the results come in.

[WI_DEM]

35. No, given the insanity of the GOP electorate he has zero chance of winning NH or being nominated.

[bklyncowgirl]

36. In a sane Republican party, yes. In today's Republican party, no

My take is that he's not enough of a bombthrower for Republican primary voters. The Newtster's actually less consistently conservative than Huntsman but the GOP wants smashmouth politics and Huntsman doesn't seem to own a pair of brass knuckles or even know how to use the things.