Jon Huntsman Jr. To Announce 2020 Utah Governor Run
Nov 13, 2019, 8:11 PM | Updated: 10:26 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is set to announce his candidacy for the 2020 Utah governor’s race Thursday at Southern Utah University, according to the Deseret News.
Huntsman was elected as Utah governor in 2004 and was re-elected in 2008 before President Barack Obama nominated him to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to China in 2009.
He served in that position until he resigned in 2011, before beginning a presidential campaign ahead of the 2012 election.
Reports surfaced in August that Huntsman was going to resign as U.S. Ambassador to Russia and was expected to return to Utah, possibly to run for governor.
President Donald Trump nominated State Department official John Sullivan as Huntsman’s replacement in October.
In his first interview since returning to Utah, Huntsman told KSL TV’s Carole Mikita he was considering another run for Utah governor.
Huntsman will join a Republican crowd that already includes Lieutenant Gov. Spencer Cox, businessman Jeff Burningham and Salt Lake City Councilwoman Amiee Winder Newton for the 2020 race.
Former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes, former Utah GOP Chairman Thomas Wright and retiring U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop are considering a run.