Huntsman beefs up SC campaign

Former Utah governor and ambassador to China Jon Huntsman has beefed up his South Carolina staff, as CNN tells us:

Jon Huntsman has hired the South Carolina Republican Party's top staffer to run his day-to-day campaign in the early primary state, CNN has learned, a sign that the former Utah governor intends to compete seriously in the state's pivotal Republican primary should he decide to run for president.

Fresh of a five-day swing through New Hampshire, Huntsman has tapped Joel Sawyer for the job of South Carolina State Director, another signal that Huntsman is on the cusp of joining the GOP field.

Sawyer resigned from his post as the South Carolina GOP's Executive Director on Monday and announced the move in an email to members of the party's executive committee, a copy of which was obtained by CNN.

In the email, Sawyer said he had a chance to meet several potential Republican candidates during his time at the party but praised Huntsman as "a lifelong conservative" and said the former Utah governor "represents the best chance for Republicans next November."

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