Huntsman's wife; familiar Utah faces; and more from New Hampshire

MANCHESTER, N.H. — If Jon Huntsman Jr. does well in today's GOP primary election, he may have his wife to thank.

Mary Kaye Huntsman has been at her husband's side throughout months of campaigning in the Granite State. Monday night, she told a story at his final rally in Exeter about a wooden egg she carries with her everywhere.

A souvenir of a campaign stop at a New Hampshire campus, Mary Kaye described how her husband took a marker and wrote, "I love you" and "MKH + JH" all over it. 

"Awwwww," the crowd said in unison.

Afterwards, area resident Jane Ford said it was seeing an interview with Mary Kaye that got her interested in Huntsman's campaign.

"When she talks about him, her eyes light up," Ford said. "She was sincere." 

There were a few familiar faces from Utah surrounding Huntsman here in New Hampshire.

Neil Ashdown was Huntsman's chief of staff as governor and as the U.S. ambassador to China. Ashdown also was Huntsman's deputy campaign manager before returning to Utah last year.

But Ashdown returned to spend the final days before the New Hampshire primary back on the campaign trail with Huntsman.

"We're seeing a surge right at the right time. People are really starting to connect with Gov. Huntsman's message," Ashdown said. "It's just exciting to be here and be part of it. This is an historic process."

He said it's a feeling that Utahns can share.

"For Utah, just to be so connected to something at this level, it's very exciting," Ashdown said. "We ought to all be very proud."

Huntsman said in an interview with KSL early today that he felt "good because we've done everything humanly possible over the last months."

That includes meeting voters, establishing a grass-roots network and being "honest and since about our nation's future," the former governor said.

He said after returning from Beijing, where he spent almost two years as the U.S. ambassador, he was ready to jump into the presidential race.

"You either get in the arena and help to broaden and expand the debate, or you stand on the sidelines," Huntsman said, calling the race "too important for the next generation" to sit out.