That strategy isn't paying off just yet, if one takes seriously a new NBC News/Marist poll, which shows the former Utah Governor with a measly 5 percent of the vote.
Not only is that some 32 points behind front-runner Mitt Romney, but the survey also puts the former U.S. Ambassador to China trailing Ron Paul, Herman Cain and Rick Perry.
The word is that Huntsman gave up on Florida because he believes New Hampshire is where he believes he can be successful, and an impressive performance there could jump start his relatively moribund campaign so far.
Although there are lots of Libertarians in the Live Free or Die state, it has also been hospitable to more mainstream Republicans in recent years - never more so than in 2000, when John McCain whipped George W. Bush by 19 points.
Romney is aided by the fact that the Northeast is one of several places he calls home (along with Michigan, Southern California and Utah), but seriously, 32 points over Huntsman?
In last night's debate, Huntsman will probably be best remembered if at all for his edgy one-liners, none better than when it was his opportunity to ask a question to a fellow candidate.
Huntsman chose fellow Mormon Mitt Romney, and began by saying, “Since this discussion is all about economics, Governor Romney, I promise this won’t be about religion.” He then paused, adding, “Sorry about that, Rick.”
Perry has been on the defensive heat for refusing to disavow the comments of evangelical pastor Robert Jeffress, who introduced the governor at last weekend’s Values Voter summit and later called Mormonism a “cult.”
He also bashed Herman Cain's much discussed "9-9-9" plan, saying he thought it was the price of a pizza (Cain of course is always introduced as the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza).
He touted that he had created a flat tax in Utah, that ultimately led the state being tops in the nation in job creation while he was governor there. PolitiFact rates that "half-true."
Some analysts have speculated that this is more of a try-out for the 2016 race, but that's pretty absurd. If Huntsman doesn't do any better this time around, why would he be welcomed by the party in 2016 (and that's assuming that Mitt Romney doesn't win next year). There may be problems with him as a candidate, but when the Tea Party is leading the way, an old fashioned Republican in the George H.W. Bush mold is simply out of place in the GOP this time around.
