Free Republic

The crop of 2012 Republican presidential candidates is about to expand, adding faces to one of the most varied—and muddled—GOP fields in decades. The lineup currently lacks a clear favorite to stir the GOP base, to the dismay of many in the party. A Gallup poll released Friday underscored an awkward situation facing the GOP. Two men who may not even run—Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump—tied for first among Republicans surveyed, with a scant 16% support apiece, while the presumed GOP favorite, Mitt Romney, came in second at 13%. The last GOP nominee to score under 20% in a Gallup...

It's early yet, but the Grand Old Party clearly has its work cut out to sell the voting American public on a candidate to challenge President Obama in the 2012 national election. A 56 percent majority of Republican voters told a CBS News/New York Times poll that none of the names officially or unofficially in the hat at this stage made them feel enthusiastic as potential nominees.

Poor Mitt Romney. He already had one big strike against him — his Mormonism — even before he contemplated his second run for the presidency. But thanks to the Tea Party, he’s also under serious fire for his 2006 Massachusetts health care plan, which his conservative critics liken to Obamacare — dubbing it “Romneycare” — since both plans mandate individual health coverage and expand the reach of Medicaid... ...Obama, and his close friend and political ally, current Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, who says Romney’s plan is working “brilliantly,” expanding affordable health coverage to nearly 98% of the state’s residents. The...

Jon Huntsman, President Obama’s outgoing ambassador to China, is considering running against his boss in 2012 as a Republican. But two handwritten letters from Huntsman obtained by The Daily Caller raise the question of why he’s not campaigning for Obama instead. “You are a remarkable leader,” Huntsman wrote to Obama in an Aug. 16, 2009 note, underlining the word “remarkable,” “and it has been a great honor getting to know you.” The letter thanks Obama for “the graciousness and kindness you have shown me and my family – particularly your confidence in my ability to represent you in China.” Huntsman...

Jon Huntsman, President Obama’s outgoing ambassador to China, is considering running against his boss in 2012 as a Republican. But two handwritten letters from Huntsman obtained by The Daily Caller raise the question of why he’s not campaigning for Obama instead. “You are a remarkable leader,” Huntsman wrote to Obama in an Aug. 16, 2009 note, underlining the word “remarkable,” “and it has been a great honor getting to know you.” The letter thanks Obama for “the graciousness and kindness you have shown me and my family – particularly your confidence in my ability to represent you in China.” Huntsman...

As promised last month, I’ve removed Chris Christie and Paul Ryan from the Presidential line due to their stated disinterest in running. I’ve removed Jim Demint, since he’s removed himself from running, as well. Because he has indicated an interest in running, I have added Rand Paul; if Paul supporters try to cheat as they notoriously do for his father Ron, I will remove Rand from subsequent polls.... ....Please vote only once. Your ballot should take less than a minute to complete. We'll announce the results after voting has concluded. NOTE: It is easy to detect double voters, and every...

Last weekend, my dinner partner, a self-described "Theodore Roosevelt Republican, very disturbed and discouraged by the Tea Party movement," detailed for me the reasons Jon Huntsman Jr. could not win the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. "He is intelligent, attractive, has proven leadership credentials as a businessman and former governor, and would be best suited to take on Obama in a general election. So, of course, our party won't nominate him." Joking aside, rumors about the current U.S. ambassador to China (he is resigning that post effective April 31) and his future plans have the Washington chattering class buzzing. The entity...

There is only one way Jon Huntsman Jr. ends up on a national ballot in 2012. As Barack Obama’s running mate. Democrat vice president, maybe. Republican president, you’ve got to be out of your mind. Silver Spoon Jonny’s dad has bought him a lot of things, but the White House won’t be one of them. Never heard of him? You’re not alone. He’s a pretty boy with nice hair and a fake tan and all the substance of a rice cake. He’s a former governor of Utah and the current ambassador to China and after two years of sitting on...

A recent article in the Salt Lake Tribune highlighted the fact that the Church’s Presiding Bishop, H. David Burton, attended the signing of a comprehensive set of immigration reform bills passed by the Utah legislature. The article said: “One thing is clear: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has abandoned its claims to neutrality on these bills.”This needs a clarification.While the Church does not endorse or oppose specific political parties, candidates or platforms, it has always reserved the right to address, in a nonpartisan way, issues that have significant community or moral consequences. Immigration is such an...

President Obama mocked his potential 2012 GOP rivals — and poked fun at himself — while Mitch Daniels returned fire and got in his own shot at Sarah Palin at Saturday night’s 126th annual Gridiron Club dinner of Washington politicos and journalists. Obama, in his first address to the group as president, pounced on Haley Barbour’s weight – by highlighting First Lady Michelle Obama’s efforts to end obesity in the country. “Haley, when Michelle said you should run, she didn’t mean for president,” he cracked. The president didn’t spare Tim Pawlenty either. “Tim Pawlenty’s not here, but he’s hit the...

   A political action committee created by supporters of United States Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman .......................   -SNIP-   "Maybe someday we'll find a new generation of conservative leaders," is the first message greeting visitors to Horizon PAC's website, which makes no mention of Huntsman but clearly suggests that he would fill a void in the current field of Republican presidential hopefuls. Horizon PAC has no official connection to Huntsman, supporters of the ambassador and former Utah governor say, but it is essentially a campaign-in-waiting should Huntsman decide to seek the GOP nomination.-SNIP-A cadre of veteran political hands...

SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) Amid the prospect of presidential runs by Jon Huntsman Jr. and Mitt Romney, reporters are bombarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with calls about the potential candidates and their Mormon faith. SNIP The novelty of two high-profile Mormons possibly competing for the nation’s highest office guarantees the 14 million-member faith a place in the national spotlight. But experts are divided about whether that would help or hurt the church and how much of a factor Mormonism would be in either potential campaign. “In the long run, it would be good for the church,”...

Through the simple act of resigning as the United States Ambassador to China, John Huntsman, Jr., has injected considerable excitement into the 2012 Republican presidential sweepstakes. The sheer attention the mere possibility of the businessman-turned governor-turned diplomat is attracting says much about the current state of the race and even more about what the party’s primary voters may be seeking in their next presidential nominee. The first thing a possible Huntsman candidacy would bring to the 2012 campaign is a “new face.” Republicans often say that they want such a thing, but seldom get around to nominating it. This is,...

Now that it's official Jon Huntsman is resigning the U.S. ambassadorship to China effective April 30 (presumably to make a run for the White House), the question du jour becomes whether a candidate's Mormon faith precludes a viable candidacy for the U.S. presidency. Mounting evidence is increasingly pointing to a brave new world where the perceived biases that potentially derailed Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign are dissolving and, lo and behold, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could realistically be elected president of the United States in 2012. The Washington Post currently has two articles...

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R., Utah) spoke with National Review Online about the (presumed) 2012 presidential candidacy of former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman. Will Huntsman, who recently resigned his post as U.S. ambassador to China, run for president? “I think he will, yes,” Hatch tells us. “He hasn’t spoken to me about it, but all the moves seem to be in that direction.” What does he think of Huntsman as a candidate? “I think he’d be excellent,” Hatch says. “He’s articulate, he’s photogenic, he’s smart, he was a good governor and served in one of the most important diplomatic posts on...

Jon M. Huntsman Jr., the U.S. ambassador to China, sent a resignation letter to President Barack Obama on Monday and now is likely to explore a Republican presidential bid, a close associate told POLITICO. In a letter hand-delivered to the White House, the former Utah governor said that he wants to return to the United States by May, the associate said. The letter thanks Obama for the opportunity to serve the country and praises the U.S. embassy staff in Beijing.

The White House expects Jon Huntsman, the U.S. Ambassador to China, to resign his post this spring to explore a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, top Democrats said. GOP allies of Huntsman have already begun laying plans for a quick-start campaign should the former Utah governor decide to enter the ill-defined Republican field. Huntsman has avoided publicly discussing the possibility of a bid against the president who appointed him, but he’s sending signals that make clear he’s serious about a run now – not in 2016, when many top officials in both the GOP and the White House assumed...

Buzz about the 2012 presidential election is already in full swing. But with no real Republican front-runner, really, anyone is game. We’ve been hearing Mitt Romney’s name tossed around as a potential for a while now, but two weeks ago we started hearing another familiar name: Jon Huntsman. While Huntsman doesn’t have the same national profile as Romney, he has gained status as the ambassador to China and might become more of a threat in the upcoming year. Can you imagine—TWO Mormons (gasp) both running for president? Now, I understand my next thought doesn’t apply to every Mormon, BUT, I...

Could the serious 2012 contenders please stand? Some folks in the media are actually suggesting Jon Huntsman for the 2012 Republican nomination, while RedState, one of the most influential political blogs on the internet, practically endorsed Mike Pence yesterday afternoon. The only thing left is for Senator Olympia Snowe to run for the Presidency. I couldn't imagine another unrealistic candidacy at this time, nor do I want to. I am not anti-dark horse candidates (I supported Sarah Palin for the 2008 GOP Vice-Presidential nomination in July '08), but I am for realistic candidates being touted... However, candidates to the left...

...The moderate Republican had once been considered a rising star in the GOP and a likely 2012 contender, with David Plouffe, Barack Obama’s campaign mastermind, even identifying Huntsman as the only Republican who made him “a wee bit queasy” about the next race. But speculation ended abruptly in 2009 when Obama tapped Huntsman for the ambassadorship. National pundits called the appointment a shrewd move by the White House to sideline a potential rival, and then promptly forgot about him—which is probably why last fall’s Beehive State buzz was drowned out on the national stage by the noise of the midterms....