Gallup finds that Jon Huntsman’s launch period has been bumpier than Michele Bachmann’s.
Although former Utah Gov. and former Ambassador to China Huntsman received considerable news coverage last week with the formal announcement of his candidacy, his image among Republicans is getting worse, not better. His name recognition for the June 13-26 period is 39%, up from 20% earlier this year, but is the second lowest of any candidate Gallup tracks. More significantly, Huntsman’s Positive Intensity Score is down to 2 from 5 a week ago. Earlier this year it had been as high as 15. Only 5% of Republicans who recognize Huntsman have a strongly favorable opinion of him, while 3% say they have a strongly unfavorable opinion.
So Republicans grew to like him less as came out of the gate and called for pulling troops out of Afghanistan more quickly. You know what could solve this problem? More long magazine profiles!