Huntsman Addresses Space, Gets Daughters' Help In South Carolina

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL  -  Republican Primary Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman addressed the U.S. Space Program in last night's Mike Huckabee debate in Charleston, South Carolina.  

The issue of the lack of a manned U.S. Space Program was brought up by an audience member during a Q & A session.  It was also the first time the U.S. Space Program has been addressed during a presidential debate.

While not laying out a clear plan for the future of U.S. manned flight, Huntsman said pointedly, "I will not subcontract out our space program to any other country" [referring to U.S. astronauts hitching rides on Russian Soyuz rockets] which drew applause from the audience.

Huntsman will really have to reach out to the Space Coast if he wants to garner support from space employees in Brevard County.  According to  Federal Elections Commission donor data as of September 30, 2011, Huntsman received the lowest amount of donations from Brevard County out of all of the GOP candidates.

Meanwhile, Huntsman has enlisted the help of his daughters, Liddy, Abby, and Mary Anne, on the campaign trail in South Carolina where they have been collectively dubbed the "Jon2012Girls" and have their own twitter account which focuses on campaign events where they are participating.

This is not the first time a presidential candidate has highlighted his daughters while campaigning, George Bush and Jon Kerry both had their daughters out helping them during their respective campaigns.