BETHESDA TO

MANCHESTER TO

CHARLESTON:

HUNTSMAN VOWS

TO CONTINUE

CAMPAIGN

Former Bethesda resident Jon Huntsman is en route to South Carolina after finishing third in last night's New Hampshire primary.

Gov. Huntsman, an alumnus of Westbrook ES, has 3 town hall meetings on his calendar today.

We're following Bethesda's hometown candidate because of his Bethesda connection, and because this candidate selection process is simply a farce. Marylanders are left to twiddle our thumbs as 1% of the nation gets to ask questions of the candidates, size them up, and in effect, pick the nominee of the GOP or Democratic party.

On April 3, Montgomery County voters will already know who the nominee will be. What should be a serious action is simply going through the motions, instead.

It's unclear if Huntsman has a path to the nomination. Voters claim they don't want Romney, but apparently are voting for him anyway.

A Huntsman victory in South Carolina would require getting credit for the local endorsements he has, but it's hard to top Romney's big get: the endorsement of SC Gov. Nikki Haley. She is popular among both the Tea Party and the GOP eestablishment.

Newt Gingrich's threatened Bain attack ads would have to hit a chord with voters. And social conservatives would have to settle on a candidate, as they did in Iowa with Rick Santorum. But 2008 proved that SC is a moderate GOP state. John McCain wouldn't have beaten Mike Huckabee there a decade ago. SC's newfound moderate streak certainly boosts Romney's chances, as well as Huntsman's long shot bid.

Huntsman has some momentum, having exceeded his NH poll numbers by several points.

But in Florida, the next state he pins his hopes on, he is currently at 2% in the polls.

Can he do it? You'll find out in 13 days.