Trim handsome guy, blonde wife, adopted Chinese daughter. Your basic Utah yuppie ideal-->

I've been rather surprised at Huntsman's growing national profile, but since I live in Utah, perhaps I can shed some light on the dynamics of Utah politics and Huntsman place in it all.

Conservatism is cultural in this state, which means that its absorbed by osmosis rather than active intellectual inquiry. Every candidate for higher office establishes their bona fides the same way; faith, family, business success. Rarely do you encounter a issue based race as we saw in Utah 3rd district in 2006 when immigration almost toppled former Congressman Cannon.

Huntsman's political success in Utah has been entirely due to those factors. His family is very well connected to the Mormon church's dynastic families. His maternal grandfather was an apostle of the church, its highest priesthood office. More than one sibling is married into the Hyrum Smith line of descendents. His father is on of the most famous Mormon industrialists in the country and extremely well-regarded in a state that respects that kind of success. Moreover, Huntsman presents a kind of Utah ideal of clean-cut good looks and quiet eloquence, signaling both education and humility.

In short--he looks the part.

Yet Huntsman Jr. is hardly a movement conservative. Cahnman's observation that he's a lot like Romney (or how Romney used to be) is pretty much on the mark. Huntsman Jr. conservatism is cultural, just like almost everyone else in Utah's is, so his political style is pragmatic rather than ideological. He gets by in Utah because with a very conservative legislature in place, his range of action is very limited. Nevertheless, its his work around the margins that bears notice for those of us who pay attention to such things.

Here's the real problem though--Jon Huntsman Jr. is like a faithful husband with an attractive secretary. His wife's trust gives him the latitude to work with a potential rival for his affections. That describes Huntsman relationship with the conservative base in Utah, but as you might imagine, it doesn't translate to the national level.

As a Mormon, from Utah, with liberal stains on his collar, he'd have virtually no chance of establishing the kind of trust with the base that he'd have to have to make his brand of politics work on the national level. In Utah it may be about demographics, but nationally its a clear cut ideological battle.

The "third way" of Republicanism is a mirage created in the Utah desert.

cross-posted at NextRight