White House Sees Huntsman Running for President

Following the old adage to “keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” President Barack Obama appointed rising star Jon Huntsman, former Republican Utah governor, as ambassador to China. But now the White House expects Huntsman to quit his post this spring to run for the Republican presidential nomination next year, Politico reports.

Huntsman’s allies in the Republican Party already have hatched strategy for a quick-start campaign should he decide to enter the fray. While Huntsman isn’t directly involved, a group of allies who could eventually run his campaign have set up “Horizon Political Action Committee” to serve as a placeholder for his political operation.

The PAC will be run by Susie Wiles, a Florida-based Republican strategist who recently managed the campaign of new Gov. Rick Scott. Huntsman has avoided talking about the issue in public, but has given signals that he’s ready to run.