Huntsman slams Romney in letter to John Sununu

After former New Hampshire Governor John Sununu announced his presidential endorsement of Mitt Romney Monday, fellow GOP candidate Jon Huntsman said he was "surprised" about the choice, writing in an open letter to Sununu that "the idea that Mitt Romney is a principled conservative is an impossible conclusion."

Huntsman, who has yet to break into the double digits in national polls and whose campaign is purported to be low on money, said Sununu's commitment to endorsing a conservative governor was "laudable."

"However," he writes, "I am surprised that you believe Mitt Romney meets that threshold."

In a point-by-point analysis of what he believes to be the "fundamental issues" at play -- including tax cuts, health care, gun rights, abortion rights, and general conservative credentials --Huntsman compares himself to Romney and finds his competitor lacking on every count.

"While Mitt Romney opposed the Bush tax cuts and raised taxes and fees by $750 million in Massachusetts, I signed the largest tax cut in Utah history which helped our state lead the nation in job growth," Huntsman contends. "While Mitt Romney implemented government healthcare in Massachusetts - which included an individual mandate and became the blueprint for Obamacare - I signed free-market healthcare reform described as 'the other end of the spectrum' from the Obama-Romney approach."

He also targets Romney's history of support for the National Rifle Association, his backing "safe and legal" abortions in 1994, and his support for Democratic presidential candidate Paul Tsongas in 1992. (George H. W. Bush, under whom Sununu served as Chief of Staff, was at the time campaigning for re-election in what turned out to be an unsuccessful bid.)

Romney has attempted to explain away his vote for Tsongas in 1992, arguing that his support was meant to pit Bush against the weakest possible Democratic candidate.

"In Massachusetts, if you register as an independent, you can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary," said Romney, in a 2007 interview with ABC. "When there was no real contest in the Republican primary, I'd vote in the Democrat primary, vote for the person who I thought would be the weakest opponent for the Republican."

Romney has also spoken about his onetime support for safe and legal abortions: when he was a teenager, the sister of his brother-in-law died from complications resulting from an illegal abortion. (These days, Romney is staunchly anti-abortion rights.)

Huntsman, having pointed out Romney's apparent contradictions, concludes that "When you look at his past statements, positions and voting record, the idea that Mitt Romney is a principled conservative is an impossible conclusion."

"It is more than his one term dealing with a liberal legislature; it's a lifetime and record of inconsistent and liberal positions," he adds, offering to sit down with Sununu "if you ever care to learn the truth."

For Huntsman, doing well in New Hampshire is crucial to the survival of his campaign: In late September, he moved his campaign headquarters to the state as a final push to gain support there, and his campaign manager admitted outright that "success in New Hampshire is vital for our campaign."

Huntsman is still polling well behind Romney in the Granite State: A recent survey by Magellan Strategies on behalf of the New Hampshire Journal put Romney with 41 percent in New Hampshire, while Huntsman earned just 6 percent.