Jon Huntsman Vindicates Republican Voters

Know-it-alls couldn't figure out why Jon Huntsman couldn't gain traction with voters in the Republican voters this year. As it turns out, they knew him better than the know-it-alls.

Since his presidential aspirations burnt out in the New Hampshire GOP presidential primary due to a lack of support from non-members of the media, Jon Huntsman has been keeping busy.

After hinting at a potential future as an independent candidate, he joined the Board of Trustees at the University of Pennsylvania, his alma mater, and was also given the great responsibility of being named one of the 21 sexiest men alive over 50 by the AARP.

This week, the left-of-center Brookings Institute named the former ambassador to China and governor of Utah as a distinguished fellow. Joining Brookings is reflective of Huntsman’s refusal to pander to his party’s far right; since he dropped out of the race, he has taken a critical attitude toward the Republican Party for moving so far from the center.

Yet while Huntsman’s moderation makes him popular among the media, this move will likely further weaken his chances of having a national political future in the GOP.