Tagged: Jon Huntsman

Polling supervisors describe turnout as steady as the primary gets underway. 

The early birds were waiting outside the  Cawley Middle School when the polls opened at 6.   By 7:30, about 300 people had cast their ballots.

Hooksett resident Diana Brighton picked Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

“Well, I think he can beat Obama and I like his politics.”

Electability and the prospect of defeating the current president were reasons given often by Romney voters. 

But former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman was the choice for Sam Knowles.

“I like the fact that he’s served in a different administration than his party and was willing to step up and do that.”

A company promises to pester politicians with robocalls from YOU. And an ad man breaks down the hits and misses of the current crop of campaign signs.

Tonight, all eyes are on Iowa.  Tomorrow, they will shift to New Hampshire.  The presidential candidates never fail to remind Granite State voters of the unique role they play.  Much is made of Yankee independent thinking, but it would be a mistake to overlook how the outcome in Iowa can shape the results in New Hampshire.

Some voters relish the task of picking the next potential president.  Matt McCormack isn’t one of them.

“I actually have not paid much attention to this point.”

We spoke to McCormack right before Christmas.  His strategy is nothing if not pragmatic.  In his division of labor, it’s Iowa’s job to lighten his load.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is the only high-profile candidate not fighting it out in Iowa. Campaigning in Pembroke this morning, Huntsman suggested that the Iowa caucus results would prove extremely perishable.

“We’ll remember them for about seven hours and then people will be focused on New Hampshire. And this will be the ballgame here because this is a primary, because this will be a broad-based turnout of Republicans and independents and even some Democrats.”

Democrats are in fact barred from voting in the Republican primary. But Huntsman’s hopes may hinge on support from independent voters. By tomorrow morning, Huntsman will have held 150 public events in New Hampshire, more than any other candidate.

Most presidential hopefuls see a strong showing in the N.H. primary as important. For republican Jon Huntsman, it is essential. The former Utah Governor has staked his whole campaign on the first in the nation primary. NHPR’s Josh Rogers reports.

 Jon Huntsman travelled to NY city this past weekend to poke fun at his New Hampshire-centric approach on Saturday Night Live.

“I love all of America: From Dallas Texas, to Manchester, New Hampshire; from the majestic Rocky Mountains to New Hampshire’s scenic Lake Winnipesaukee; from the innovation of Silicon Valley to the affordable outlet malls in North Conway, New Hampshire.

 “I can’t help but notice you keep mentioning places from New Hampshire.”

Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman says energy security would be a driving force behind his administration.  Huntsman laid out a three-part strategy that is unlikely to  find favor with either farmers in Iowa or environmentalists nationwide.

Jon Huntsman says getting the right energy policy would put Americans to work and end what he called a heroin-like addiction to foreign oil.  The former Utah governor said the 300 billion dollars each year that flow to what he labeled unfriendly regimes, would do more good if they were spent in shops at home, saved in American banks , or invested in jobs. 

Following former Governor John Sununu's endorsement of Mitt Romney, the Huntsman campaign released a public letter to Sununu.  The letter begins with:

"Over the course of this campaign you have made it abundantly clear that you would endorse a conservative governor – a laudable criterion.

However, I am surprised that you believe Mitt Romney meets that threshold."

It then goes on to list Romney's what the campaign would call failings on taxes, healthcare and abortion It says it is impossible to conclude that Romney is a principled conservative.

It ends with: