To be honest, I think the Republican Party is doomed if it doesn't start nominating candidates like Huntsman, I mean for god sakes, he opposes same-sex marriage, cut taxes whilst he was Governor, supports tougher immigration laws and restricted access to abortions. I mean, if he's not conservative, then quite frankly who is. The Republican Party is being destroyed by the irrational cancer that comprises the Bachmann/West/Perry/Norquist wing, who insist that every candidate must conform to what they see as conservative on every issue, 100% of the time. I mean I doubt even Ronald Reagan could have won a GOP nomination now, as they would have seen him as too willing to compromise. The stage the party has reached of the religious right and Tea Party having a virtual veto power over the choice of candidate is really bad for the Republican Party. The Party won't ever win back the Presidency in any meaningful way unless this situation changes.
Rant over
To be honest I think Huntsman could have done much better in the Republican primary with the exact same positions he held if he attempted to identify himself as a conservative and when he disagreed with the generic conservative position on something worded his dissent a little softer. It wasn't so much his positions that did him in as much as it was him sounding like was poking the GOP in the eye.
Yes, he came off as someone who was more interested in pleasing a particular crowed of people hostile to conservatives at their expense. You don't purposely antagonize the group that would most certainly be your base if nominated even if you disagree with them strongly one a particular group of issues. Huntsman choose to pursue political correctness over actually being a legitimate contender. One of several reasons that I don't much care for him as a politician.
