Huntsman says Utah should fund a primary
"If the political will is there, to fund an outright primary would certainly be preferential," the governor said. "It would put us on the map on a very important date, when you've got 12 states now that are converging politically to essentially elect the next president."
Huntsman has been pushing an early Western states primary for almost two years now, joining New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, now a Democratic presidential candidate himself, in trying to rally the region.
Last year, lawmakers set aside $850,000 for the Feb. 5 primary, but it looked like they might balk at coming up with the rest of the money this session. Now, though, the proposal has the backing of key lawmakers including Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo.
Huntsman told the Deseret Morning News in an interview that he talked earlier in the session about the state holding only a presidential preference poll run by the major political parties "in the context of wanting to get something as opposed to nothing."
The governor said that's the economic benefit of holding a true primary election early in the election cycle, bringing campaign dollars to the state. "No question about it," he said. "I think that would see more in the way of candidates."
Especially since both the Republican and the Democratic nominations for the 2008 election already are hotly contested. And with California committed to a Feb. 5 primary and other big-vote states considering the date, the nominees could be chosen that day.
The legal, financial, public relations and other services that campaigns would tap in Utah as well as the money spent on hotels, meals and other travel expenses would quickly add up to more than the state's actual cost, Huntsman said.
"There's a whole lot that is quantifiable, and it goes beyond the $3.5 million we'd invest," he said. There are also benefits whose value can't be easily calculated, he said, such as "having a candidate actually understand and listen to our point of view as a Western state."
The governor did not meet with the most recent presidential candidate to travel through the state, former Utah Olympic leader and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a fellow Republican.
Romney left Wednesday after spending less than 24 hours in Utah, holding fund-raisers in Salt Lake City and St. George that appear to have collected more than $1 million for his campaign.
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