Huntsman Fires NH Manager, Elevates Ex-Pawlenty Staffer

Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman has dumped his New Hampshire campaign manager, Ethan Eilon. The former Utah governor named Sarah Crawford Stewart to take over many of Eilon’s duties as his senior adviser for the state Thursday, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports.

Stewart previously was New Hampshire campaign director for former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty before he quit the race in August. Eilon had joined the Huntsman campaign in the summer.

The moderate former China ambassador’s presidential bid hasn’t been able to generate much support yet in the Granite State or elsewhere. New Hampshire, the nation’s second primary/caucus state, is important to Huntsman because he’s basically skipping Iowa, which is first. In addition, centrist New Hampshire may be the early primary state most amenable to Huntsman’s views.