Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign may be struggling financially, but the Arizona Republican can still count on Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s support.

McCain's candidacy sputtered in mid-July, when a combination of slow fund-raising and fast spending forced the layoffs of dozens of staffers, including two top-level aides. Even so, Huntsman has stayed loyal to a man he describes as a fighter.

"I've always seen the real John McCain and known the real John McCain," the governor said in a recent interview with the Deseret Morning News. "He's been freed from the shackles of the traditional, establishment campaign organization."

Huntsman has spent considerable time on the campaign trail for McCain this year. His appearances have included standing in for McCain at an event in New Hampshire — an early voting state considered make-or-break for the candidate.

The governor has seen the changes in the McCain campaign since the cuts. "He's running a frugal effort," Huntsman said.

The candidate has replaced his "Straight Talk Express" bus from past presidential bids with one labeled "No Surrender." The theme reflects both McCain's staunch support for the war in Iraq and his unwillingness to leave the presidential race, despite money problems.

There's been some speculation the McCain campaign might not last until the primary season begins, especially after ending the second financial reporting quarter midyear with just about $2 million left.

With total receipts then of some $24 million, McCain was already trailing fellow GOP front-runners in the money race. Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, had $10 million more midyear, and Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, $20 million more.

Huntsman and several members of his family — his mother, Karen; wife, Mary Kaye; adult daughters Abby, Mary Anne and Elizabeth — have all contributed the maximum allowable donation of $2,300 to both McCain's primary and general election funds.

That's nearly $14,000 for McCain from the governor's family alone. The overall amount McCain had raised in Utah as of midyear was nearly $124,000, putting him behind only Romney in contributions from the Beehive State.

But McCain's total take in the state was no match for Romney, who has received close to $4 million from Utahns, including the maximum from Huntsman's father, Jon Huntsman Sr., a national finance chairman for Romney.

According to polls, Romney, who ran the successful 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints like the majority of Utahns, is a clear frontrunner in the largely GOP state.

McCain, though, has continued support from some of state's key Republicans. In addition to Huntsman, McCain's Utah backers include Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and state Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo.