Huntsman Drops Out of Presidential Race

Jon Huntsman, who banked his presidential hopes on New Hampshire and days before finishing a disappointing third in the primary, is bowing out of the GOP race, according to a New York Times report.

Huntsman will endorse fellow candidate Mitt Romney, the newspaper reported.

Huntsman, a former Utah governor, campaigned harder in New Hampshire than any other GOP candidate. He held close to 200 public events in the state, including in and .

Huntsman had the support of Hampton resident , a state senator, as well as other local officials and politicians.

Stiles said she was surprised by the news when contacted Sunday night, stating she hadn't received any information about it and thought the timing was strange considering that earlier in the day Huntsman received a significant South Carolina endorsement.

Stiles said she thought the voter support for the candidate was there, although she said she's been "irritated" by the way national and local media have at times overlooked the governor.

"I find it very interesting even though he came in third in New Hampshire that any of the reporting down in South Carolina didn't include him," she said. "I think he had a good message. I think he was the right candidate for the right time, but I just don't know why the media didn't pick up on that or connect it."

Over the last several days, Huntsman had been campaigning in South Carolina, which is holding its primary on Saturday, Jan. 21.