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Even as Jon Huntsman Jr. made a splash announcing his bid for the presidency near the Statue of Liberty on Tuesday, Utah politicos were not stampeding to the former governor's side.
Indeed, the 2012 presidential contest presents a deep conflict for many Republican officials, who are largely trying to avoid having to choose between Huntsman and 2002 Olympic boss Mitt Romney, or someone else entirely.
None of Utah's federal delegation is endorsing Huntsman at this point, even though two of them — Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Sen. Mike Lee — worked in Huntsman's administration.
And of the GOP state elected officials contacted Tuesday by The Salt Lake Tribune, only one, House Majority Whip Greg Hughes, R-Draper, said publicly that he's in Huntsman's corner.
"I know that Governor Huntsman, among some of my colleagues, has been considered a liberal or moderate," Hughes said. "I think some people mistake his diplomacy as moderation and it is not."
Hughes, one of the founders of the House Conservative Caucus, said Huntsman took conservative stands on taxes and school vouchers.
"If you look at where he spent political capital, I think it lands on the conservative side of the aisle," said Hughes, who worked with Huntsman to revamp Utah's liquor laws in a bid to make them more friendly to tourists and conventions.
Neither Lee nor Chaffetz has spoken to Huntsman since he returned from China in April. Chaffetz, who has helped raise money for Romney, said it is clear that Utah Republicans are more energized by Romney's candidacy than Huntsman's.
"Mitt Romney hasn't shied away from his affiliation with the [LDS] Church. He hasn't shied away from his affiliation to Utah. It makes [Utah Republicans] feel good. It is more endearing," said Chaffetz, who is also Mormon. "I want to beat Barack Obama and most every indicator points to Mitt Romney being able to do that."
Romney, who ran the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City is, like Huntsman, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He dominated Utah's 2008 presidential primary, winning nearly 90 percent of the vote, and Utahns poured nearly $5.5 million into his campaign — making Utah by far Romney's highest per capita contributor state.
David Kirkham, an organizer of the Utah tea party, said he is disappointed with Huntsman, Romney and the entire Republican field so far, and believes others in the movement are, as well.
"Nobody's really inspired by the playing field. Nobody is. That's just the facts. Nobody is exciting. All of these guys are TARP supporters," he said, referring to the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the bank bailout passed at the end of the Bush administration.
He said the GOP field appears to be espousing the same sort of "crony capitalism" common in Washington. If Utah tea party activists had to choose, he said, he suspects they would back Romney, "however, lots of noses would be plugged as they pulled that lever."
"Frankly it's depressing. It's very frustrating," Kirkham said. "We're just electing the same thing over and over again and we know what the result of that is."
U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, hasn't endorsed a candidate yet, but appears to have narrowed his list to Romney and Huntsman.
"I did endorse Romney in '08 and my esteem for him hasn't changed at all," said Bishop "And I worked with Huntsman on some significant issues."
He says Utah and other Western states will benefit from having two candidates who know the region, and he expects issues like the public-lands debate to be elevated.
Utah Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara, who was House speaker for much of Huntsman's tenure, backed Romney in 2008, but hasn't made up his mind this time around.
Clark worked closely with Huntsman on health care reform and tax cuts, which he said are good conservative principles, and he revamped the state's economic development office, which has generated business expansion.
"Then you've got the other side of the ledger — cap-and-trade, civil unions and other things from that social side of the agenda — that become very difficult to be supportive of," Clark said.
"I think most of us think Huntsman is a real long shot," Clark said, "but I learned one thing when he was governor: Never count him out." —
Hopefuls to hit Utah seeking support
Both Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman Jr. will be in Utah within a matter of days hitting up donors. Romney has a $1,000-a-person luncheon Friday at the home of Apex Alarm executive Todd Pedersen, and a similar evening event at the Grand America Hotel. Each also has a VIP reception for $2,500.
Huntsman, who initially had a breakfast scheduled for Friday, postponed the event to a Tuesday luncheon at the Alta Club for $1,000 donors with a $2,500 special reception.