For those who are following the formation of the field of Republicans getting set to do battle in the 2012 primaries, the name Jon Huntsman might be all too familiar and his entry into the GOP political fray not entirely unexpected. But there are many who do not know the name -- and for the former governor of Utah and Obama administration ambassador to China, that could be a big problem since he's running for president.
Huntsman announced he was running for president in Liberty State Park in New Jersey today, according to Reuters, using the statue of Liberty as a backdrop. It is the same setting used by Ronald Reagan to launch his general election campaign in 1980.
Supporters immediately point out that although Huntsman may not have high name recognition nationally, he is well known within his party's leadership and he has crossover appeal for disaffected Democrats. They are also quick to show that Obama wasn't well known in 2007 when he announced his presidency, either, and stands as proof that name recognition comes with hard work and a perseverant political strategy.
Huntsman is seen as a moderate and could become former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's chief rival. Romney at present is the preferred choice of most Republicans to become the next GOP candidate for president. The only other moderate Republican in the field of contenders thus far is former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, but he has yet to gain traction in the national polls, pulling in around 5 percent of the vote in most.
The numbers show that Huntsman has a long way to go, even among Republicans. The latest Gallup poll, which shows Romney leading all contenders with 24 percent Republican support, Huntsman only scored 1 percent, down from 2 percent in May.
Another recent Gallup poll noted Huntsman's name recognition is up from earlier in the year but his intensity score (which calculates the level of support a candidate receives) has plummeted, which indicates that those just discovering Huntsman aren't as enthusiastic about him as those who have been supporting him.
Huntsman has also got a ways to go with getting his campaign up and running. He's been scrambling to put people on the ground in South Carolina and New Hampshire, foregoing the Iowa Caucus, the nation's first primary election. After incurring the ire of the Iowa GOP for announcing he was skipping the state, he could have a problem in New Hampshire as well.
Even though the former governor spent five days in the Granite State in May, a recent University of New Hampshire's survey center report listed Huntsman as being favored by only 1 percent of the voters in that state. An overwhelming 71 percent said they had never heard of him.
For Huntsman to have a chance at competing with Romney, in New Hampshire or anywhere, he will have to work on that lack of name recognition.
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