Governor Huntsman

2005-2009, Republican

About the Huntsman Administration

During his term as governor, Huntsman focused primarily on improving Utah’s economy, creating large tax cuts, health care reforms, and increasing education funding.  Utah was recognized for its friendly business climate and quality of life as a result—including being named as the Best Managed State in America by the Pew Center.

In 2009, he was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the U.S. Ambassador to China and resigned as governor after being confirmed by the Senate.

He stepped down from his position of Ambassador to China in 2011 in order to seek the Republican presidential nomination in the 2012 election, but later ended his campaign and endorsed Mitt Romney.

National Governors Association. “Governor Jon Huntsman,” National Governors Association. https://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_utah/col2-content/main-content-list/title_huntsman_jon.default.html.

United States Department of State. “Biography: Jon Huntsman,” United States Department of State. https://web.archive.org/web/20101128044828/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/127146.htm

Eldridge, Allison. “Jon Huntsman, Jr.,” Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jon-Huntsman-Jr

The Atlantic Council. “Jon M. Huntsman, Jr.: Chairman,” The Atlantic Council. http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/about/experts/list/jon-huntsman#fullbio

Written by Avalon Snell
Originally published in November 2017