The Fast Fix: President Huntsman?

Chris Cillizza

Jon Huntsman is running for president, but can the former Utah governor get the GOP nod with his ties to Obama's administration?

Meet Jon Huntsman.

Huntsman is, among other things, a former Utah governor and most recently the Obama Administration's ambassador to China.

As of Tuesday, he's also a formally announced candidate for the Republican presidential nomination as he makes it official with the Statue of Liberty as the backdrop.

Huntsman's unorthodox resume has attracted considerable interest in his candidacy but is also a major hurdle as he tries to win over Republican voters.

Serving in a Democratic president's administration is not the typical training ground for a Republican president.

Huntsman and his political team are casting him as a patriot, willing to serve his president if and when asked.

But Republican voters are likely to be suspicious of anyone with ties to the current president and Huntsman is going to have convince them of his GOP bona fides to get past "hello".

If Huntsman can clear that high hurdle, he has a compelling story to tell. A high school rebel -- he had long hair and played keyboards in a band named Wizard -- he was an enormously popular governor before accepting the Obama Administration job. And he rides motocross to relax.

Huntsman is like an NBA draft pick at the moment. He's got lots of potential but an equal number of potential pitfalls that could hamstring his chances at success.

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