8 Things to Know About Trump's Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman
2. He ran for president in the 2012 GOP Primary
In 2011, Huntsman announced his campaign for the Republican nomination. He entered a crowded field battling to become the 2012 presidential nominee.
While he created buzz as a potential viable opponent for then President Barack Obama, by January 2012 he had withdrawn from the primary.
"The former Utah governor placed third in last week's New Hampshire primary despite devoting most of his campaign resources to the state," reported Fox News in 2012.
"He had already acknowledged that expectations for him in South Carolina's primary this week will be 'very low.'"
After suspending his campaign, Huntsman officially endorsed Republican opponent and fellow Mormon, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.