Huntsman chips in big cash to his own campaign

Jon Huntsman raised just over $4 million for his 2012 bid in the last week and a half--but a good chuck of that cash came from the candidate himself.

The former Utah governor won't file a second quarter fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission--he's not required to because of his late entry into the race.

But sources tell the Salt Lake Tribune's Thomas Burr that Huntsman contributed $2 million to his own campaign--in spite of the fact Huntsman had previously said he wouldn't self finance.

"If we were to get in the race--no self-financing," Huntsman told reporters in May. "Unless you can raise it legitimately, you're not going to win."

Last week, Huntsman dialed back a tad on that claim, telling the Tribune he'd "put in a little bit to prime the pump."

Asked if his boss was backing off his pledge not to self-fund, Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller told The Ticket his boss had said all along he'd provide seed money for his 2012 effort.

The campaign, Miller said, "will not be self-financed."