Jon Huntsman Launches Federal PAC

Just days after stepping down as ambassador to China, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman launched a federal political action committee, a first step toward jumping into the race for Republican presidential nomination, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Wednesday.

Huntsman filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to create “H PAC,” an offshoot of Horizon PAC, the committee started by his supporters based in Utah and New Hampshire.

Forming a new committee is not an announcement that Huntsman will jump into the race, aides said.

“He took an organizational step that will allow him to travel the country, discuss the issues that are important to him and support Republican candidates,” PAC spokesman Tim Miller told the newspaper.

Horizon PAC, which was created by longtime Republican strategist John Weaver, has been described by aides as Huntsman’s “campaign-in-waiting” while he served as ambassador.

Huntsman was prohibited by law from running for office as a federal employee. But now he’s free to start his own federal committee, which employs many of the same consultants as the Horizon PAC.