Jon Huntsman Jr.

The father-son bond preoccupies political circles here. Mr. Huntsman, 51, says he is pursuing nobody’s dream but his own. As founder and chairman of the Huntsman Corporation(the company is run by Peter Huntsman, Jon Jr.’s brother), the elder Huntsman presides over a global chemical manufacturer with 2010 revenues of $9.3 billion. In Washington, allies like Jake Garn, a Republican former senator from Utah, who later worked for the Huntsman Corporation, recommended Mr. Huntsman for jobs.



In Utah, the father quietly pressed state leaders to install the son as the head of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics — a job that ultimately went to Mitt Romney, one of Mr. Huntsman’s rivals for the Republican presidential nomination. The elder Huntsman declined to be interviewed for this article. Jon Huntsman knew his audience right away.



“It seemed the audience enjoyed and appreciated his comments,” Scott said of Huntsman. Huntsman told TheDC he thinks he can ultimately appeal to the tea party crowd.
Former Ambassador and presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman will speak in West Ashley today.