
Jon Huntsman: A Consistent Conservative
"Jon Huntsman is the same conservative he was when he worked for Ronald Reagan 3 decades ago. He is running for President on his consistent record of cutting taxes, balancing the budget, passing health care reform without a mandate, and protecting the right to life. Republican voters can trust Jon Huntsman to implement the same conservative policies in the White House that he did as governor."
- Tim Miller, December 15, 2011
Gov. Huntsman Is A Strong Believer In The Sanctity Of Life:
“As Governor, Huntsman Signed A Bill To Criminalize Second Trimester Abortion, As Well As A Measure That Allows The State To Tell Women Seeking Abortions That The Fetus Can Feel Pain.” (Juana Summers, “Huntsman Pushes Conservative Creds,” Politico, 6/3/11)
Gov. Huntsman Also Signed A New Law In Utah That Requires Teenage Girls To Get A Parent’s Permission Before Having An Abortion. “Teenage girls in Utah would have to get a parent's permission to have an abortion, under a bill that gained a Senate committee's unanimous support on Friday.” (Jennifer Dobner, “Measure Requiring Parental Consent For Abortions Advances,” The Associated Press, 2/10/06)
Gov. Huntsman Supported A “Trigger” Bill In Utah That Would Have Banned Abortions If The Supreme Court Struck Down Roe V. Wade. “Huntsman said he likes the so-called ‘trigger’ bill that would ban abortions in the state if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court…” (Lisa Riley Roche, “Huntsman Says Utah Should Fund A Primary,” Deseret Morning News, 2/22/07)
Gov. Huntsman Is A Strong Supporter Of Second Amendment Rights:
Gov. Huntsman Is A “Strong Supporter Of Gun Owners’ Rights.” “Huntsman boasts the most foreign policy experience of any of the likely GOP candidates, and would be a formidable entry to the unformed GOP field. He had a fiscally conservative record as governor, opposes abortion and is a strong supporter of gun owners' rights.” (Mike Allen, “Jon Huntsman Resigns, May Run,” Politico, 1/31/11)
Gov. Huntsman Received A Concealed Carry Permit After Taking A Course Offered To Utah Policymakers. “A state legislator is setting up free concealed weapon classes for policy-makers and their families this summer, while at the same time formulating a proposal to make it easier for Utahns to secretly carry a firearm. Clearfield Republican Rep. Curtis Oda says the sessions are aimed at educating lawmakers and debunking gun-control advocates' criticism of Utah's gun laws. The first two students were Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert. Since then, 12 legislators and eight other elected officials have taken the free gun-handling classes. And Oda has another 25 legislators interested, with the next class scheduled for July.” (Matt Canham and Rebecca Walsh, “Who's The Capitol's Top Gun?” The Salt Lake Tribune, 6/11/05)
Gov. Huntsman Has Pledged To Veto An Assault Weapon Ban. HUNTSMAN: “I would absolutely veto the [assault weapons] ban.” (Hugh Hewitt, “Governor Jon Huntsman Jr.,” Hugh Hewitt’s Blog, 6/8/11)
Gov. Huntsman’s “Unimpeachably Conservative Record” In Utah Included Signing Bills To “Encourage Gun-Ownership.” “Yet in most respects Mr Huntsman has an unimpeachably conservative record. He presided over the biggest tax cut in Utah’s history. He instituted health-care reforms of a much less meddling sort than those embraced by Mr Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts. He signed various bills designed to discourage abortion and encourage gun-ownership.” (“Picture Perfect,” The Economist, 5/26/11)
In 2009, Gov. Huntsman Signed Two Bills That The National Rife Association Called “Critical Self Defense Legislation.” “Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. (R) announced today that he signed important National Rifle Association-backed legislation into law that will protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners. Senate Bill 78 will protect the right to lawfully transport and store firearms in privately-owned, locked motor vehicles that are parked in a publicly accessible parking lot controlled by a business.’ Governor Huntsman and the Utah legislature have taken an important step toward reinforcing self-defense laws in Utah," said Chris W. Cox, NRA's chief lobbyist. … In addition to signing Senate Bill 78, Governor Huntsman also signed House Bill 357. Existing Utah law requires a person to have a concealed weapon permit to carry concealed in or on their own property. HB357 fixes this problem. Now law-abiding individuals will be able to carry a concealed firearm in their own residence, on their own property, or in their place of business without a concealed carry permit. HB357 also clarifies current law with respect to firearms in vehicles, to allow law-abiding citizens the choice of how they would prefer to carry a handgun for self-defense (open, concealed, unloaded or loaded).” (National Rifle Association, “Critical Self Defense Legislation Signed In Utah,” Press Release, 3/31/09)
In 2008, Gov. Huntsman Signed Legislation That Would Prohibit Government Officials From Confiscating Weapons In Times Of Emergency. “If a disaster happens in Utah, cops won't be able to take away anyone's gun unless that person is breaking the law. The Legislature passed a bill Wednesday that says in a declared emergency the government can't confiscate weapons. Senate Bill 157 passed in the House, 70-2. It now goes to Gov. Jon Huntsman for his signature.” (“Legislature Says Emergencies Are No Reason To Confiscate Guns,” The Associated Press, 3/6/08)
Gov. Huntsman Saved Taxpayers Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars By Enacting The Largest Tax Cut In Utah History:
Gov. Huntsman’s Tax Cuts Saved Utah Taxpayers $400 Million. “He oversaw a reduction in the sales tax on food and revamped the tax structure to create a flatter tax; the overall savings to taxpayers was $400 million.” (Erin McPike, “Huntsman Seeks To Run On His Record,” Real Clear Politics, 3/22/11)
Gov. Huntsman Used His Political Capital To “Negotiate The Largest Income-Tax Cut In Utah History” And Cut Sales Tax On Food. “In his first term as governor, Huntsman tapped his political capital to resuscitate the Real Salt Lake soccer stadium, negotiate the largest income-tax cut in Utah history, broker a deal to end months of litigation stalling the construction of Legacy Highway and coax the Legislature to repeal a portion of the sales tax on food.” (Robert Gehrke, “Huntsman's Unfinished Legacy,” The Salt Lake Tribune, 8/8/09)
Cato Institute Called Gov. Huntsman’s Tax Reform Plan “Very Reaganesque.” “Former Reagan staff assistant Jon Hunts- man Jr. ran for governor of Utah in 2002 at least in part on a very Reaganesque platform: reforming the state’s ‘dilapidated and anachronistic’ tax system.” (Stephen Slivinski, “Fiscal Policy Report Card On America's Governors: 2006,” Cato Institute, 10/24/06)
In 2007, The Utah Taxpayers Association Awarded Gov. Huntsman The Taxpayer Advocate Award. (Utah Taxpayers Association Website, www.utahtaxpayers.org, Accessed 3/25/11)
In 2006 & 2008, Cato Institute Gave Gov. Huntsman An “A” Grade And The Highest Score Among All Governors For His Tax Policies. (Stephen Slivinski, “Fiscal Policy Report Card On America's Governors: 2006,” Cato Institute, 10/24/06; Chris Edwards, “Fiscal Policy Report Card On America’s Governors: 2008,” Cato Institute, 10/20/08)
Under Gov. Huntsman, Utah Was Ranked The Best-Managed State In The Nation:
According To A 2008 Study From The Pew Center, Utah Was Ranked The Best-Managed State In The Country. “Utah is the best-managed state in the country, based on a report card of state governments released Monday. The Pew Center on States Government Performance Project for 2008 gave Utah an overall ‘A minus’ for how the state government manages information, people, money and infrastructure. Virginia and Washington also received high scores, but Utah came out on top.” (Suzanne Struglinski, “Utah Earns No. 1 Spot For Government Management,” Deseret Morning News, 3/4/08)
Pew Report: “Utah manages all facets of state government well, emphasizing long-term goals and performance outcomes.” (The Pew Center On The States Website, www.pewcenteronthestates.org, Accessed 3/25/11)
The Pew Center Report Honed In On Utah’s Decision To Put Money Aside For State Employee Post-Retirement Health Care And The State’s Real-Time Tracking System For The Use Of Taxpayer Dollars. “The report honed in on the fact Utah puts money aside for state employee post-retirement health care, while other states seem to be ignoring the problem. It also mentioned the state's real-time financial tracking system that supplies up-to-the-minute data on where taxpayers' dollars go.” (Suzanne Struglinski, “Utah Earns No. 1 Spot For Government Management,” Deseret Morning News, 3/4/08)