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SALT LAKE CITY -- After formally announcing his presidential campaign last Tuesday, the former Utah governor Jon Huntsman Jr. has narrowed down his focus to three early-voting states.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters and media at his newly opened national headquarters in Orlando, Florida, Huntsman said: "Our focus will be on three states. It will be a little bit like running a gubernatorial campaign simultaneously in three states: New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida."
Huntsman has already overlooked the important caucus state of Iowa, which is the first state to vote on the Republican candidates this upcoming winter. Admitting that he has limited resources, Huntsman expects to win the Republican nomination early by stealing New Hampshire and South Carolina, which are set as the first two Republican primaries.
South Carolina, which has been touted as the first-in-the- South Republican primary, is a major step in the right direction for presidential hopefuls. Every Republican nominee, since Ronald Reagan in 1980, has been declared the winner of the state of South Carolina.
Florida is where this race is going to be won for the Huntsman campaign.
–Jon Huntsman
Florida has yet to announce its actual primary date, but many believe it will be among the first, and likely to be one of the most important, particularly with the amount of delegates the state offers its eventual winner. Additionally, Florida has become a bellwether state, with national interests compacted in a relatively small size.
All presidential candidates campaigning in Florida have a difficult battle trying to deliver a message that will appeal to rural conservatives along the panhandle, in addition to the large Cuban American population in southern Florida and the retired population dispersed throughout the state.
As a result, candidates are forced to address several national issues, including the growing problems with the economy, immigration reform, health care reform, Medicare and Social Security, instead of appealing to a statewide issue, like ethanol subsidies in Iowa.
And it's in Florida where Huntsman believes his campaign can shine as he puts the bulk of his focus on the Sunshine State. "Florida is where this race is going to be won for the Huntsman campaign," he said.
The last time a quasi-conservative put all of his eggs in one basket in Florida, he wound up with egg on his face. That was Rudy Giuliani.
–Chris Ingram
But recent presidential history suggests otherwise. Former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani entered the 2008 presidential election as a heroic leader after his work with the events of 9/11. Early polling predicted Giuliani as the front-runner candidate to beat. But as the election cycle closed in on primary season, Giuliani decided to skip Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, and devoted his entire focus to Florida, which he ultimately lost.
Republican political analyst Chris Ingram of Tampa told the Orlando Sentinel that Huntsman's narrowed focus might be limiting his early national strategy too much.
"The last time a quasi-conservative put all of his eggs in one basket in Florida, he wound up with egg on his face," Ingram said. "That was Rudy Giuliani."
If Huntsman is able to convince Florida that he's the candidate to beat, it is likely he will be able to broadcast his message to a national following. If not, Florida could be the final resting place for Huntsman's presidential campaign.
In the meantime, Huntsman will return to Utah Tuesday to raise money for his campaign.
Email: jfurlong@ksl.com
