Jon Huntsman Jr. named one of AARP's 21 sexiest men

SALT LAKE CITY — Mitt Romney may have been named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" a decade ago, but today it's former Utah governor and GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman Jr. who's attracting admirers.

Huntsman is one of the "21 Sexiest Men Over 50" according to the AARP, a list that includes actors George Clooney, Liam Neeson and Samuel L. Jackson, musicians Jon Bon Jovi and Yo-Yo Ma, NBC Nighly News anchor Brian Williams, and environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr.   

An article in AARP The Magazine gushes that Huntsman "was the hippest dude in the conservative crowd" of Republicans seeking the party's presidential nomination, now secured by Romney.

"The 28-years married father of seven once played keyboards with a rock band, rode his Harley on the campaign trail and referenced Kurt Cobain during the debates," the article offers as evidence.

Asked what advice he'd give to younger men about how to age well, Huntsman answered, "Your inner strength is as important as your outer strength." He was also questioned about what his wife, Mary Kaye, loves about him.

"She'd probably say my authenticity, which extends to my salt-and-pepper hair," Huntsman told the magazine. "She once told me that if I ever tried to add anything artificial, she'd leave me."

So how did the association for retired people come up with it's Men on Fire 2012 list?

According to the magazine, the winners, selected by 17 male and female writers and editors, "needed to simmer sex appeal. But we went beyond the physical and judged for brainpower, sense of humor, individuality, artisitic abilty, generosity and goodness of heart."

Readers have the opportunity to add to the list by voting for one of the 15 runners-up. There are a couple of political figures to choose from — retired U.S. Army generals Colin Powell and Wesley Clark, both seen as presidential material.

But Romney fans will have to settle for his People magazine honors from 2002, when he was pictured in the magazine at the bottom of Utah's Olympic ski jump with the warning, "don't tell him he's arrestingly handsome" because nothing embarasses him more.