"Obviously, if Gary does a great job it affects whether I run," Valentine said.

Other potential candidates being mentioned include Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce President Lane Beattie; Kirk Jowers, head of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics; Scott Anderson, head of Zions Bank; and Utah's only Democratic member of Congress, Rep. Jim Matheson.

"I wouldn't call it quite the Wild West, but it's pretty wide open," said House Speaker Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara. "It's going to be a very fun political season."

And not just in Utah. Huntsman has been widely touted as a potential presidential candidate in 2012 and had been traveling to key GOP primary states to pitch a more moderate platform for the party, including support for civil unions and addressing climate change. Although he had no formal campaign structure in place, he was getting help from McCain's former chief campaign strategist, John Weaver.

The ambassadorship announcement surprised Washington insiders, who have been buzzing for months now about a possible White House run by Huntsman. There's virtually no chance Huntsman would challenge an Obama re-election bid after agreeing to serve in his administration. At 49, however, he is still viewed as a possibility for 2016.

"Bombshell," declared Politico.com, calling Obama's choice of a Republican like former President George W. Bush adding Democratic presidential contenders John Edwards or John Kerry to his administration at the start of his first term.

"Stunner," said MSNBC's Web site, pointing out that Obama campaign chief David Plouffe recently suggested Utah's governor was the only potential Republican challenger who makes him nervous because Huntsman is "speaking a lot of truth about the direction of the party."

That's led to speculation that Obama picked Huntsman to get him out of the 2012 race. But the new administration first expressed interest in Huntsman shortly after last November's election. And in January, Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, apparently met with Huntsman in Salt Lake. And Politico.com reported Obama himself asked Huntsman to take the job a week ago, during a meeting held while the governor was in Washington for the White House Correspondents' dinner.

Politico.com said the move was labeled "brilliant" by GOP strategist Mark McKinnon. "Keep your friends close and your enemies in China."

The U.'s Jowers said Plouffe's comment was nothing more than "a nice way to compliment a future colleague." As for Huntsman's political ambitions, Jowers said the governor "is passionate about helping the Republican Party. But he is even more passionate about Asia."