Republican consultant and columnist Matt Mackowiak penned a piece in the National Review today laying out reasons why Jon Huntsman cannot win the Republican nomination for president.
In his column titled, “Can We Please Stop Talking About Huntsman?” Mackowiak argues the former governor of Utah doesn’t deserve all the media attention he’s been getting because he is “a fully media-generated candidate, with no real base of support, no record of achievement in nationally important conservative causes, and little work in party building.”
But emails obtained by The Daily Caller show that Mackowiak, a Texas based operative and frequent pundit who appears in both print and on TV, must have had a change of heart about the former ambassador to China’s chances: He inquired this spring with top staffers involved in the Huntsman effort about a job on the future presidential campaign.
“I’d be interested in discussing opportunities with Horizon PAC as the Comms / Political staff grows. My resume is attached,” Mackowiak wrote to one senior figure in the Huntsman operation on Mar 22.
On March 14, Mackowiak wrote to another top staffer: “Love to visit sometime about the Comms shop for Gov. Huntsman going forward.”
The source within the campaign who provided the emails was not the recipient of Mackowiak’s job inquiries. That person suggested Mackowiak’s criticism may be linked to not getting a paid job with the campaign.
“When it became clear his three-page resume was not rising to the top of the heap, Mackowiak’s disposition to Gov. Huntsman turned decidedly sour,” said the source. “Hell hath no fury like a scorned consultant.”
Mackowiak, who runs the website Potomac Flaks, admitted he reached out to Huntsman’s folks but said he also spoke with other campaigns. He said both leaked emails were congratulatory messages to the two Huntsman staffers for obtaining work.
(Huntsman prepares all-or-nothing Florida campaign)
“Earlier this year, I approached folks around several potential candidates, including Mike Pence, Mitch Daniels and possibly even Tim Pawlenty, as well as what I believe were two emails to Huntsman staffers. At that time, the field was unsettled,” he said.
In recent weeks, Mackowiak has expressed similar concerns to those written in his National Review piece about Huntsman on Twitter. He said an aide to Huntsman has recently texted him his disapproval of airing those concerns in public.
But the reason he went from inquiring to work for Huntsman to openly saying he can’t win?
“As time has passed, Huntsman’s campaign has courted the major media, engaged in directly insulting conservatives, doubled down on his moderate record, and repeatedly called for ‘civility.'”
“Again, I do not wish Ambassador Huntsman any ill will, he’s a fine person and a patriot,” Mackowiak said. “But he cannot win the nomination, and if his team is honest with itself, they will privately admit it.”