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Jon Huntsman drops out of Republican presidential race | Jon Huntsman drops out of Republican presidential race |
(40 minutes later) | |
Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman has ended his presidential campaign, but endorsed the candidacy of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. | |
Speaking in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, he bemoaned the "negative and personal attacks" shaping the race. | Speaking in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, he bemoaned the "negative and personal attacks" shaping the race. |
Mr Huntsman received just 17% of the vote in the New Hampshire primary despite campaigning extensively there. | Mr Huntsman received just 17% of the vote in the New Hampshire primary despite campaigning extensively there. |
He has struggled to build momentum in South Carolina, where the conservative vote is traditionally strong. | He has struggled to build momentum in South Carolina, where the conservative vote is traditionally strong. |
The Palmetto State goes to the polls on Saturday to pick a candidate for the Republican nomination. | The Palmetto State goes to the polls on Saturday to pick a candidate for the Republican nomination. |
The Huntsman campaign has had difficulty gaining traction nationally, attracting about 1% to 2% in most opinion polls. | The Huntsman campaign has had difficulty gaining traction nationally, attracting about 1% to 2% in most opinion polls. |
'Toxic discourse' | 'Toxic discourse' |
As he announced his withdrawal from the race, Mr Huntsman, who pitched himself at his campaign launch as a "civil" candidate who would not play dirty, bemoaned the state of the Republican contest. | |
"This race has degenerated into an onslaught of negative and personal attacks," he said, calling on the Republican Party to unite behind a single candidate. | "This race has degenerated into an onslaught of negative and personal attacks," he said, calling on the Republican Party to unite behind a single candidate. |
"Divisiveness is corrosive," he added, saying that the "the current toxic form of our political discourse does not help our cause". | "Divisiveness is corrosive," he added, saying that the "the current toxic form of our political discourse does not help our cause". |
Mr Huntsman, 51, is a fluent Mandarin speaker and served as US President Barack Obama's first ambassador to China. | |
In the early 1990s he became the youngest head of a US diplomatic mission for a century when he was appointed ambassador in Singapore. | |
Mr Huntsman's withdrawal from the race came the morning after he received an endorsement from The State, the largest newspaper in South Carolina. | |
They called Mr Huntsman and Mr Romney the "two sensible, experienced grown-ups in the race'', but said the former ambassador was "more principled" and offered "a significantly more important message''. | |
Chasing pack | |
Mr Huntsman threw his support behind Mr Romney, calling him the candidate most likely to defeat President Obama in November's presidential elections. | |
Acknowledging differences between him and Mr Romney - who Mr Huntsman sharply criticised in recent weeks - he said he would support the former Massachusetts governor nevertheless. | |
Differences within the Republican Party were less important, Mr Huntsman said, than what he termed a grave crisis facing the US. | Differences within the Republican Party were less important, Mr Huntsman said, than what he termed a grave crisis facing the US. |
Mr Romney won nearly 40% of the vote in the New Hampshire primary and won the Iowa caucuses with a narrow lead of eight votes. | |
Mr Huntsman's exit from the race leaves Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich as the three main candidates chasing Mr Romney's lead. | |
South Carolina, a staunchly Republican state, has a history of backing the eventual nominee in its primary. |