The Hill News

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) isn't sweating his low poll numbers in these "dog days of summer," saying he expects improvement once the campaign swings into gear this fall.

Huntsman, the former ambassador to China, said that it's going to take some time to build up support. He checked in as the choice of just 2 percent of Republicans in Wednesday's new Gallup poll.

"If the election were next month, I guess that'd be cause for concern. The fact of the matter is that we've got a long way to go," he said in an interview on CBS. "And we're in the early days â€" the dog days of summer."

Huntsman's entry into the race was heralded by the media, especially because of his status as a former Obama administration official who stepped down to challenge the very president he had served.

Huntsman's sought to stake out a more mainstream spot in the Republican presidential field, having been the first to endorse House Speaker John Boeh! ner's (R-Ohio) debt-ceiling plan, where other candidates have opposed it. ("It's the only act in town," Huntsman said Wednesday of Boehner's plan.)

The former governor's built up staff in New Hampshire in particular, where he hopes to make a move this fall.