Jon Huntsman, Crazy Republican
From TNR’s Jason Zengerle:
Utah Governor Jon Huntsman (who, needless to say, is a Republican, not to mention a potential 2012 presidential candidate) has come out in favor of gay civil unions. It’s not gay marriage, but it is Utah.
It is indeed, a deeply conservative state, and yet what Huntsman is taking a pretty progressive position on one of the right’s key wedge issues. For that, he deserves our admiration.
But is he crazy, or what?
First, does he know what state he’s from (the Mormon Church was one of the major opponents of California’s Prop 8 and by an overwhelming margin most Utahns oppose civil unions)? Second, does he know what party he belongs to (forget marriage, even civil unions don’t fly with most Republicans)? Third, does he really have future political aspirations (he would be mercilessly attacked by the right, and by the right’s preferred candidates, in 2012, or whenever, for adopting a heterodox position like this)?
Still, good for Huntsman for changing his mind and having the courage to stand up for what’s right in a state that, all too often, gets it wrong.
5 Responses to “Jon Huntsman, Crazy Republican”
I find it absolutely hilarious, Mr. Stickings, that you cannot concieve of a person, indeed, a prominent politician, who might differ from the majority of his party on a major issue. One need not be a liberal or a Democrat to support gay rights, just as one need not be a conservative or a Republican to support gun rights. Yes, his future in the Republican Party may be questionable, but need we refer to a conservative Mormon who supports even minute amounts of civil rights for gay people as crazy? I think not.
That's one of the things that strikes me about this site – the title The Moderate Voice” will likely attract conservatives who are open to differing viewpoints and compromise, yet many of the columnists here routinely regard conservatives as a monolith and often come across as deliberately insulting and dismissive. It's almost like they try to drive away the people they're supposedly seeking.
I live just a few miles from the Utah border and I believe this isn't the first time Huntsman bucked his party and his church. I would have to check the Salt Lake Tribune archives, but I think he also supports ending Utah's law to allow alcohol consumption only in restaurants and private clubs. I thought I read he wanted to do away with the private club registration and let Utah have bars and taverns like most other states. He certainly hasn't supported Utah allowing 5% beer (theirs is 3.2)–if they ever change that border state liquor stores would lose a lot of revenue.
Huntsman is catching a lot of heat from more conservative Utahns and getting lots of love from supporters of gay rights. They had a candlelight vigil tonight at the governor's mansion to thank him for his support.
It ignores the difference between civil unions and marrage. There is a difference to many and doubly so for many mormons.
Huntsman just won re-election, and says he will not run for a third term. I used to live in Utah, and from what I remember he was a very respected business man before he was governor, so I'm not sure if this would ruin his future if he should decide to run for another office.
I am a Mormon who leans conservative and am for civil unions. I admit I'm in the minority in my religion, but not by a huge margin. A poll in Utah does not necessarily reflect the opinion of all Mormons. Most Mormons don't live in Utah, or in the US for that matter.
So while Hunstman's position is certainly controversial, I would agree with other commenters that calling him “crazy” is perhaps a bit overstated.