Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has been nominated to be the U.S. envoy to China within the Obama administration. Hunstman, a Republican governor and co-chair of John McCain's failed presidential campaign, is a moderate Republican in one of the most conservative states in the union, and considered a top contender for the Republican nomination for president in 2012.
Now that he's working for Obama, it seems less likely that he'll run against him, though it is not unprecedented.
With another Republican joining the Obama administration, it's clear that the president is still looking to bridge gaps between the two parties. Moderate Republicans, especially, have been receptive to Obama's call for bipartisanship, while the extremely conservative members of the party have pushed aside the notion.
Undoubtedly, Huntsman will be derided by those conservative elements of his party. But as the Republican Party shirks its members for wanting to cooperate, the party itself will begin to shrink and lose influence in Washington. In the end, the GOP will have to conform to the center or risk becoming obsolete.
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