Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, flanked by his wife, Mary Kaye, announced Monday at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in South Carolina that he is ending his run for the Republican presidential nomination. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption
Jon Huntsman
Explore the latest NPR coverage of GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman.Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman was surrounded by members of the media during a campaign stop earlier this month in Dover, N.H. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption
Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman campaigns from the counter at the Bean Towne Coffee House & Cafe in Hampstead, N.H., on Jan. 8. Polls show Huntsman gaining on front-runner Mitt Romney ahead of Tuesday's primary. Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images hide caption
Huntsman may refuse to be the 'goat' of the GOP race, but he and his wife, Mary Kaye, did meet one named Izak and his owner, Bill Higgins, on Monday night outside the McConnell Community Center in Dover, N.H. John W. Poole/NPR hide caption
GOP hopeful Jon Huntsman in Milford, N.H., on Dec. 8. Cheryl Senter/AP hide caption
GOP hopeful Jon Huntsman speaks in Milford, N.H., on Dec. 8. Cheryl Senter/AP hide caption
With shaggy hair and skinny jeans, Jon Huntsman (upper right) strikes a pose with his band, Wizard.
Courtesy of Politico.com hide captionA giant sign reading "jobs" hangs outside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building in Washington, D.C. Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, shown speaking at an American Legion Post in Nashua, N.H., last month, is campaigning again in the state this week. The Republican White House hopeful so far hasn't run any TV ads in the state. Cheryl Senter/AP hide caption
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman announces his bid for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination Tuesday. Julio Cortez/AP hide caption
Jon Huntsman, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to China, briefs reporters in November 2009. If Huntsman joins the field of presidential candidates, he may have a difficult time explaining to Republican primary voters why he worked for a Democratic president. Charles Dharapak/AP hide caption