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SALT LAKE CITY -- Former governor of Utah Jon Huntsman Jr. indicated Saturday that he was ready to announce his candidacy for a bid at the White House.
In an interview with CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crawford Saturday morning, Huntsman said that he was about a week and a half away from announcing his intentions to run for president, joining fellow Mormon Mitt Romney in a race for the Republican nomination.
Our number one priority is to beat Barack Obama. The more choices we have headed into 2012, the better candidate we'll field, the more refined their message will be.
–Thomas Wright
Crawford asked Huntsman if he was planning on announcing and he said, "We're about a week and a half out…but we're right at the end point."
Huntsman went on to say that he has received the support of his family, but would look to have more discussions with them before his official announcement.
During a visit to Utah last month, Huntsman Jr. said he and his family were gathering to talk about whether he should run for president. At the time he said, "This is not an easy decision to make. It carries with it wide- ranging implications for us immediately and for people around us … and we want to make sure we're pretty methodical and contemplative as we go about making that decision."
Where Huntsman plans to announce his candidacy is still uncertain.
Since resigning as U.S. Ambassador to China in April, Huntsman has positioned himself for a spot among the top Republican contenders, but his position in President Obams's administration has left questions open for several Republicans to debate about.
However, the news is exciting for the Utah Republican Party members, who now have to choose which candidate to support in next year's primary.
"Our number one priority is to beat Barack Obama," said Thomas Wright, Utah Republican Party Chairman. "The more choices we have headed into 2012, the better candidate we'll field, the more refined their message will be."
Related:
Huntsman reveals his 2012 strategy
Jon Huntsman tells the Associated Press his campaign strategy for the 2012 presidential election.A Utah political analyst said Huntsman's strongly worded hint at an official announcement does little to change the GOP political landscape. BYU political science professor Quin Monson told the Deseret News that Huntsman "has been rumored to running all along," and his fate will ultimately be decided by who else decides to seek the Republican nomination.
"If (former New York City Mayor Rudy) Guiliani gets in (the race), he and Huntsman are looking to appeal to the same moderate Republican voters who … don't turnout in great numbers in Republican primaries," Monson said. "It will be interesting to see how he portrays himself as a presidential candidate and before a Republican primary electorate."
He said Huntsman began his stint as governor as a conservative, but eventually became more moderate.
Recently, Huntsman has stepped up his politicking, dining with several GOP senators in Washington D.C. a few days ago and having lunch with former President George H.W. Bush on a visit to Maine in May.
Huntsman's father, Jon Huntsman Sr., said he just wants his son "to be happy."
(Polls) have pretty clearly shown that Romney is by far the favorite in Utah … far ahead of Huntsman. It's not clear whether they have the same base of funders.
–Quin Monson
"He's a very talented and wonderful individual and we're very honored to be his parents," Hunstman Sr. said. "We're excited on whatever decision he makes."
Former Massachusetts governor and SLOC chief Mit Romney announced his presidential intentions in New Hampshire earlier this month. In addition, several other candidates have also thrown their hats in the ring, including former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Texas congressman Ron Paul and former business executive Herman Cain are already in.
With so many potential GOP contenders considering a run against President Barack Obama, University of Utah political science professor Matthew Burbank said time is of the essence for those still on the sidelines.
"It's clearly the time people are making these decisions," Burbank said.
Huntsman said the news that Mitt Romney, another Mormon with Utah ties, will run would not affect his plans. Though Monson said the two candidates could find themselves cutting into each other's fundraising potential pool in the Beehive State.
"(Polls) have pretty clearly shown that Romney is by far the favorite in Utah … far ahead of Huntsman," Monson said. "It's not clear whether they have the same base of funders."
He said how the Huntsman and Romney are able to appeal to small donors in Utah will be an important measure on how they might fare come election time.
As for Huntsman's chances of eventually becoming the Republican presidential nominee for 2012, Monson said they don't seem great "at the moment," but "there's always a chance."
"What we've seen in the past with nomination contests is what looks like a sure thing more than a year out quickly can change," he said. "Could he win? Sure! I wouldn't put odds on it now, but he's doing himself a huge favor by getting in and running for his own political future."
Story written by Sarah Dallof, Jasen Lee and the ksl.com news team.
