2024 Election Game - IC

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"I don't want to do just what's best for Republicans. I don't want to do just what's best for Democrats. I want to do what's best for everyone. And that's why I am formally announcing, here and now, my candidacy for President"

ANDERSON COOPER: You just watched former Utah Governor and Russian Ambassador Jon Huntsman announce his campaign for President. This comes after Vermont Governor Phil Scott entered the Republican primary and Missouri Congressman Scott Rolen entered the Democratic Primary earlier today. Missouri Governor Josh Hawley and Tennessee Senator Bill Haslam are expected to announce Republican Primary campaigns any day now, and several others may join in as well. I'm here with Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight. Nate, what do you think the odds are that Jon Huntsman is the Republican nominee?

NATE SILVER: Thanks for having me Anderson. I would say Jon Hunstman has some chance of winning - but it's difficult to see just how he gets there without stringing together some kind of surprising coalition of voters. Let's not forget either that in 2012, the first time Huntsman ran, he got less than 1% in Iowa, 17% in New Hampshire, and proceeded to drop out. Even then, he only won 8 towns in New Hampshire. He has a huge numerical advantage there for sure, but he has to win there and by a lot. That may be hard to do with people like Phil Scott, Charlie Baker, Larry Hogan, and Lisa Murkowski in the race splitting the moderate vote.

ANDERSON COOPER: Thanks Nate, always a pleasure to have you on. Now back to our Alaska political correspondent, Linda Blackberry, she's talking with Joe Miller about his political future.

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Jon Huntsman Itinerary
September 1st-11th: New Hampshire Town Halls focused on the Opiate Epidemic, Taxes, Family Values, and Foreign Policy
September 12th: Utah Rally
September 13th-15th: Nevada Rallies

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Debate responses

1. As a former Ambassador in the Obama Administration who flamed out in the 2012 primaries. What do you have to offer today's Republican Party?
What I have to offer to the Republican Party is experience, hard work, and compromise. I worked in the Trump administration. I strongly supported Romney in 2012. Most Republican voters did the same - but I do not see anyone else in this campaign trying to bring together all Republicans instead of just appealing to a small sect of the party.

2. As you know a member of the LDS church has never been elected President, with Mitt Romney losing in 2012. What makes you think you have what it takes to win over evangelicals to win the nomination, and then win Independents in the general election?
I worked in the Trump administration - have you seen his approval rating with Evangelicals? I think we share a lot of the same family and religious values. As far as independents go, I believe strongly that they'll vote for me over whatever radical socialist becomes the Democratic nominee.

3. Have we done enough to correct our trade imbalance with China?
I don't think so, and I think this trade imbalance has gone on too long. I have great relations with China and will open up talks with them in a way no President has done in our history. I will be understanding, but firm. They will know that the US is not to be messed with.

4. If you are not nominated President, can you promise not to run an Independent bid?
I cannot make that pledge. I think I'll be the nominee, but if not and it's someone I can't support, I will consider an independent campaign.

My question goes to Phil Scott. Mr. Scott, you're pro-choice, you signed gun control legislation into law, you upheld the individual mandate of ObamaCare after it was removed nationally, and you support open borders. You're not a moderate, you're a liberal. So why aren't you running in the Democratic Primary?

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Jon Huntsman on The Blaze Radio with Glenn Beck

BECK: I'm here today with Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman. Jon, great to have you on.
HUNTSMAN: Thanks, great to be here
BECK: So I want to start by asking you: what's your pitch? Why are you running?
HUNTSMAN: Donald Trump has done a great job as President, but not everyone could support someone like him. I'm running to bridge the divide that's formed in the Republican party - the supporters of Trump and the old guard. I worked for the Trump administration, and I possibly had the most important job in the administration. I want to make sure that everyone can be represented. That's my goal.
BECK: Who are the current top picks for your running mate?
HUNTSMAN: I haven't decided yet. I would pick an outsider for sure - someone like Ben Shapiro, yourself, or some businessman.
BECK: Sign me up! *laughs* You've said that you're open to running an independent campaign if the nominee is not someone you can get behind. So, I want names: who would you run an independent campaign against?
HUNTSMAN: I'll be very blunt about this. Governor Scott and Governor Baker, if he chooses to run, do not align with much of the country. They won't be satisfied with either of their candidacies, and I won't blame them. I wouldn't be satisfied either.
BECK: It's been great to have you on Jon. Up next, we've got Austin Petersen back in the studio. Stay tuned.

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JON HUNSTMAN ENDORSEMENTS, AGENDA, AD

MITT ROMNEY AND EVAN MCMULLIN ENDORSE JON HUNTSMAN

McMullin will campaign in Iowa, Nevada, and Texas
Romney will campaign in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Michigan

AGENDA

September 15th - Joint campaign event in Utah with Evan McMullin and Mitt Romney
September 16th-19th - Rallies in Nevada
Septermber 20th-27th - Town halls in Iowa
September 28th-30th - Town halls in New Hampshire

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Hi, I'm Jon Huntsman, and I'm running for President. I want to unify America around the core beliefs of small government, low taxes, and individual liberties. I worked in the Trump administration, and am proud to have done so. I'm also willing to reach out to independents, which is why I have the support of Evan McMullin and Mitt Romney. I want to work with all Americans to make America more American. Whos with me?