Jon Huntsman, Jr.
| Jon Huntsman | ||
 | ||
| Candidate for | ||
| President of the United States (withdrew) | ||
| Party | Republican | |
| Prior offices | ||
| U.S. Ambassador to China | ||
| August 11, 2009-2011 | ||
| Governor of Utah | ||
| January 3, 2005 – August 11, 2009 | ||
| American Ambassador to Singapore | ||
| 1992-1993 | ||
| Education | ||
| Bachelor's | University of Pennsylvania | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | March 26, 1960 | |
| Place of birth | Palo Alto, CA | |
| Profession | Diplomat and Politician | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
| Campaign website | ||
Contents |
Huntman, a Republican, previously served as the 16th Governor of Utah, a position to which he was elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2008. Before that, he was the American Ambassador to Singapore under the 41st President, George H.W. Bush, from 1992 to 1993.
Biography
Huntsman is the son of billionaire businessman and philanthropist Jon Huntsman, Sr. of Huntsman Corporation. He attended the University of Utah, where he was a Sigma Chi. He received a Bachelor's degree in business from the University of Pennsylvania after transferring to that school.[4]
He served a Latter-day Saints mission in Taiwan and speaks fluent Standard Mandarin Chinese.[4]
Career
After college, Huntsman served as a White House staff assistant in the Reagan Administration, U.S. ambassador to Singapore in the administration of President George H.W. Bush, and a deputy United States trade representative in the George W. Bush Administration.[4]
In addition to his public service, Huntsman served as an executive for the Huntsman Corporation, the Huntsman Cancer Foundation and Huntsman Family Holdings Company. Other organizations he has served include the Utah Opera, Envision Utah, the Coalition for Utah's Future, and KSL-TV's Family Now campaign.[4]
Issues
Presidential preference
2012
Jon Huntsman, Jr. has endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.
Political Policies
As governor, Huntsman lists economic development, healthcare reform, education, and energy security as his top priorites. He has overseen large tax cuts and has advocated reorganizing the way that services are distributed so they the government will not become overwhelmed by the state's fast growing population. Huntsman would like to expand healthcare, mainly through the private sector, by using tax breaks and negotiation to keep prices down. He also advocates encouraging people with insurance to use it as preventive care. The governor also sees Utah as being uncompetitive with the rest of the nation in terms of securing the best teachers.[5]
Huntsman is receptive to environmental issues and would like the state to reduce fuel and energy consumption. He is also concerned with nuclear waste being stored within his state. On hot button social issues, such as abortion, gay marriage, and gun control, Huntsman generally walks a more conservative line. He also defines his taxation policy as "business friendly."[6]
Elections
2012
Huntsman launched his campaign to run in the 2012 presidential election on June 21, 2011 in Liberty State Park, New Jersey - the same place where Ronald Reagan announced his 1980 presidential candidacy.[7] Huntsman chose not to compete in the Iowa straw poll on August 13, 2011, choosing instead to focus on primary elections in Florida, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Despite his non-participation in the poll, he was able to garner 69 votes - enough for a second-to-last finish.[8]
On January 16, 2012, Huntsman ended his bid for the Republican nomination. He endorsed Mitt Romney.[3]
2004
In November 2004, Huntsman was elected Utah Governor with 57% of the vote, defeating Democratic Party nominee Scott Matheson, Jr.[9]
Personal
Huntsman's maternal grandfather David B. Haight was an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which Huntsman and his family are also members. Huntsman has eight brothers and sisters and over 60 nieces and nephews on his side of the family.[10]
Huntsman is a seventh-generation Utahn; his wife Mary Kaye is a first-generation Utahn. Together they have seven children: Mary Anne (b. 1985), Abigail (b. 1988), Elizabeth (b. 1989), Jon III (b. 1991), William (b. 1993), Gracie Mei (b. 2000) who was adopted from China, and another baby girl from India, Asha Bharati (b. 2006).[10]
Huntsman is also a self-proclaimed fan of the progressive rock genre of music and on July 30, 2007, attended a concert by progressive metal band Dream Theater. Later that day, Huntsman signed a proclamation creating "Dream Theater Day" on that date for the state of Utah.[10]
See also
External links
- 2012 Presidential Campaign Website
- National Governors Association - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. biography
- Follow the Money - Jon M Huntsman Jr & Gary R Herbert
- On the Issues - Jon Huntsman issue positions and quotes
- Project Vote Smart - Governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr. (UT) profile
References
- ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "Huntsman out as guv, takes new post as ambassador", August 11, 2009
- ↑ NewHampshire.watchdog.org, " Jon Huntsman in the Hunt in NH," October 17, 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 New York Times "Huntsman Says He's Quitting G.O.P Race," January 15, 2012
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Project Vote Smart, "Biography of Jon Huntsman," accessed June 30, 2012
- ↑ Office of the Utah Governor, "Priorities"
- ↑ On the Issues, "Jon Huntsman"
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Jon Huntsman for President: 2012 announcement kicks off campaign," June 21, 2011
- ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "Jon Huntsman second-to-last in Iowa straw poll," August 14, 2011
- ↑ Utah election results 2004 The Washington Post, Nov. 24, 2004
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Jon Huntsman 2012, "About Jon," accessed June 30, 2012
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