Utah governor backs McCain; his dad prefers Romney

Mower said the pair met only about a year ago, when Huntsman approached McCain for help in dealing with the controversial immigration issue. Huntsman, a former U.S. ambassador and trade representative, apparently hit it off with McCain.

By March, Huntsman was traveling to Iraq to visit the troops, at McCain's invitation, as part of a small delegation of governors and members of Congress. This summer, McCain addressed the Utah GOP state convention at Huntsman's request.

There, McCain cited Huntsman as a rising star in the Republican party who he expected to do big things on a national, or even international, scale. For Huntsman, that could include serving in a GOP presidential administration.

But there's some suggestion a President Romney might be more cautious about appointing a fellow Mormon to a key role. Recent polls have shown that about one-third of registered voters would not be willing to vote for an LDS presidential candidate.

Earlier this week, LDS filmmaker Mitch Davis announced he is raising money for a media campaign that he hopes will begin airing in the South this fall, in an attempt to counter what he called "religious bigotry."

Mower said that didn't play into Huntsman's decision, and Jowers agreed. "Gov. Huntsman has apparently made this move based on his personal relationship with Sen. McCain, and there are no indications that religion has anything to do with that decision," Jowers said.

Huntsman appears to be the first governor who has jumped on board with a potential presidential candidate, Jowers said. Kelly Patterson, director of Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy, said it is early for such an announcement.

"It's just a strong signal that presidential politics starts earlier and earlier," Patterson said. "The big advantage is if and when that candidate is successful, you were there at the beginning. It's a gamble that could pay off big."

Neither McCain nor Romney are expected to declare their candidacies until after the November midterm elections. Both are now raising money to help woo support for the future by funding GOP candidates in key primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

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