Three key members of Rick Snyder's campaign team sign up for Jon Huntsman's presidential run
Several key members of the campaign team that helped former Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder rise from political obscurity to Michigan's governorship have transitioned over to former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s presidential campaign.
Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman Jr., former governor of Utah and ambassador to China
Now, Huntsman, generally considered to be more moderate than the rest of the GOP field, will need to find a way to rise above several candidates who have more name recognition among Republican voters.
To do so, he'll be relying on a campaign team that includes several people who quietly helped Snyder win the GOP gubernatorial nomination in August — and then the general election in November.
Here are three former Snyder campaign team members who are now advising Huntsman:
1. John Weaver. The political strategist played an instrumental role in guiding Snyder's campaign, which identified early on that Snyder should emphasize his political inexperience and business credentials. Weaver, who previously served as a strategist in Sen. John McCain's presidential campaigns, told Esquire that Obama is beatable.
2. Fred Davis. The GOP political advertising guru famously came up with the "one tough nerd" concept, which Snyder used to brand himself as an outsider capable of making the hard choices in Lansing. The first "nerd" advertisement, aired during the 2010 Super Bowl in Michigan TV markets, gave Snyder his first boost in the polls and established him as a legitimate contender. Now, Davis is reportedly helping develop Huntsman's advertising strategy, too.
3. Jake Suski. Suski served as Snyder's campaign spokesman for nearly 18 months during the primary race. He helped Snyder deflect misleading accusations that he had outsourced jobs as an executive at computer-maker Gateway. Now, Suski, who left the Snyder team in the days after the primary election, is part of Huntsman's campaign team.
As for Snyder, he's said little about the GOP presidential field, except that he won't make an endorsement any time soon.
But that doesn't mean he's unfamiliar with the candidates. As the Grand Rapids Press recently reported, in the weeks before he launched his gubernatorial campaign, Snyder quietly attended a Huntsman speech in west Michigan and "came away impressed."
Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.
Comments
debling
Wed, Jun 22, 2011 : 12:26 p.m.
There has always been wealth inequality with millionaires/billionaires from all sides of the political spectrum. The problem is that the Republicans think that this is good and the growing divide between rich and poor the natural order. They cannot get their heads around any economic system that isn't comprised of rich owners and poor workers. Supply side economics, trickle down economic theory and other discredited ideas and myths continue to be perpetuated. The only problem they wrestle with is how to convince the American poor that they should be content with their poverty. Creating jobs is not the goal but creating wealth for ALL AMERICANS is. It serves the country no good in having hundreds of thousands of poor paying jobs and concentrating wealth in the hands of a few. This WILL ferment the mood of revolution over time, which is what the Republicans should fear.
cinnabar7071
Wed, Jun 22, 2011 : 12:12 p.m.
Ed why do you feel the need to name call and insult people? Cant your comment stand on its own?
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, Jun 22, 2011 : 1:25 p.m.
Shocking that you are concerned about negative characterizations (accurate though they might be) of the core of the RepubliKan Party but not so much those of the president and his supporters. Good Night and Good Luck
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, Jun 22, 2011 : 1:43 a.m.
The RepubliKan Party, at least in presidential politics, has a real problem. The two most moderate and thoughtful candidates (Huntsman and Romney) who might attract the independents needed to win the election have zero chance of winning the nomination because they are not knuckle-dragging anti-intellectual religious zealots. And the knuckle-dragging anti-intellectual religious zealots who could win the nomination (Palin, Bachman, et. al.) have zero chance of winning the election. And as for the contention that Obama supporters are blind worshipers--not in my experience. But so long as the RepubliKan Party continues to be dominated by knuckle-dragging anti-intellectual religious zealots, supporting the president, warts and all, is a no brainer. Good Night and Good Luck
sbbuilder
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 10:43 p.m.
bedrog And nothing less than passionate blind worshipful (hopeful?) obedience is expected of Mr Obama's followers. debling Do we need to go down the list of Democratic Billionaires who would fit your description of examples of class divide between rich and poor? Do Republicans have a corner on the rich snobbery market? Pot calling kettle black here.
bedrog
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 10:54 p.m.
sbbuilder...you are inaccurate in your portrayal of most obama supporters ( maybe not all but certainly the ones i know...and am). whereas i am pretty much on target about teapartiers ( although some dwindling number of republicans...including Huntsman...may indeed be more rational/adult/ courteous. Wish there were more of same.
bedrog
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 9:25 p.m.
This guy will never make it with the 'teaparty ' crowd.. after all, .he expressed respect for Obama ( for whom he worked as ambassador ) , despite economic policy differences ..... ....and less than total rabid , foaming at the mouth demonization is a no-no with that lot.
Cash
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 7:58 p.m.
debling, When I was in Mexico and US visitors talked about the very wealthy down there and the very poor...and not much in between we were told "Shhhh. Quiet. Do you want to start a revolution?" Tea Partiers feel the same way.
Mike Martin
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 10:29 p.m.
Tea Partiers want people to be quite about wealth inequality for fear of starting a revolution in the US? Really? I have no involvement in the Tea Party whatsoever. But, I think that hushing up wealth inequality for fear of revolution is pretty far fetched.
debling
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 3:38 p.m.
No surprise that Snyder's buddies are going off to work for a very wealthy "business owner" now. I've long realized that at all levels (local, State and Federal) the key thing that unites all Republicans is that they all support a class system of rich and poor. Integral to their thinking is that the country can only function economically and politically when the rich control the nations commerce and the poor work for them. It shows in their tax policies (cut taxes for the rich) and the lack of support for social programs to get the poor out of poverty (education, health care, etc).
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 7:04 p.m.
Well, it's not like he can cut income taxes for the poor. Or even the lower-middle. They don't pay any. At what point is it an American's obligation to stop asking what the country can give him? Because we're just not seeing that from the Democrats, and we're facing a financial crisis the likes of which our country has never seen as a result.
Mike Martin
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 6:25 p.m.
Yeah that all makes sense. And since the economy is chugging right along, churning out jobs, lifting people from poverty, and increasing the living standards of the middle class, why even consider a change huh?
cinnabar7071
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 4:16 p.m.
Let me try this again. If that were the case why is Deomcrat controlled Detroit in the shape its in? Based on your statement Detroit should be a vision of hope, what happened? Seems the Democrats are pulling a even bigger scam then the Republicans could every dream of.
Ignatz
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 3:24 p.m.
This is wonderful news! An overtly religious, pro - Red China, tax cutting businessman, son of a billionaire will need all the help he can get winning the Republican nomination.