Struggling in the polls at the national level and in most key states, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman focused on the Sunshine State Wednesday when he unveiled the endorsement of Jeb Bush Jr., son of the former Florida governor and heir to one of the most prominent political dynasties in American history.

Huntsman and Bush held an event in Coconut Grove to announce the endorsement. The former Utah governor had served Bush’s grandfather, President George H.W. Bush, in the Commerce Department and as ambassador to Singapore.

The younger Bush has been active in business and increasingly shows signs of playing a larger role in politics. He backed Marco Rubio’s bid for the U.S. Senate in Florida in 2010 and serves as chairman of the board of SunPAC, a Republican group looking to reach out to Hispanic voters.

“In 2008, Florida and the presidency went to Barack Obama because he offered hope,” noted Bush on Tuesday morning. “To defeat the president in 2012, we need a candidate who will offer solutions. That man is Jon Huntsman.”

Huntsman tabbed Bush to lead GenH, the arm of his campaign focused on reaching out to young voters. The former Utah governor, who served as President Barack Obama’s ambassador to China, named Ana Navarro, who was Gov. Jeb Bush’s director of immigration policy, as chairwoman of his Hispanic outreach efforts. Navarro held a similar role during John McCain’s presidential campaign back in 2008.

"I am very proud to add these two great leaders to our team of supporters, and I look forward to working with them every step of the way as we campaign throughout Florida,” said Huntsman.

“I am confident that Jon's vision will appeal to young voters, who are concerned about the trillions of dollars in debt being piled on their backs, and who desperately seek jobs and economic opportunity,” added Bush before evoking a conservative star from Florida. “Governor Huntsman is the only candidate with a proven record of creating jobs, in business and as governor. He understands that, as Marco Rubio recently noted, ‘We don't need more taxes; we need more taxpayers.’

“Jon is the candidate best equipped to defeat President Obama next November,” insisted Bush, who has campaigned with Huntsman before though he did not endorse him until now. “As more Americans get to know Jon and his record, I'm confident his support will continue to grow. Two years ago, I jumped on board Marco Rubio's campaign when he was polling at 3 percent, and we made history. With Jon, I can't wait to make history again. I respect the other candidates; but in a time of such global upheaval and strife, America needs a serious, experienced leader to restore America's promise -- and that leader is Jon Huntsman.”

Huntsman has based his campaign in Orlando and has hired some staff with experience in Florida politics. He is also looking to garner some momentum during the Presidency 5 event -- which is scheduled to hold a straw poll -- organized by the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) in Orlando in September. Despite his focus on the Sunshine State, Huntsman has failed to gain traction in Florida, just as he has not made a dent in polls around the nation.

The former Utah governor expressed confidence on Wednesday that he will be able to turn things around.

“Florida is a key state in the fight to win the Republican nomination, and I'm confident my record of leading the nation in job-creation, balancing budgets and governing as a conservative problem-solver will appeal to voters,” said Huntsman.


Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.