PAC profile: Our Destiny

Introduction

Type of organization: Super PAC

Supports: Jon Huntsman

Founded: Aug. 25, 2011

Website: ourdestinypac.com (no longer active)

Social media: YouTube channel

Principals:

• Tom Loeffler: lobbyist who worked as a top Huntsman campaign official and left to help raise funds for Our Destiny.

Profile:

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman faced long odds to be the Republican nominee from the moment he jumped into the race. His time as President Barack Obama’s ambassador to China made him instantly unpopular with the Republican base, and despite being a popular figure among Washington pundits, he never gained much traction. After a disappointing finish in the New Hampshire primary, which he was counting on to propel him to the nomination, Huntsman dropped out Jan. 15 and endorsed rival Mitt Romney — though in April lashed out against the Republican party.

Our Destiny PAC spent more than $2.8 million on ads, all of them supporting Huntsman, according to Federal Election Commission records, though one ad was clearly a slap at Romney.

By far, the top contributor to the pro-Jon Huntsman Jr. super PAC turned out to be Jon Huntsman Sr., who provided $2.2 million to the group in an effort to put his son in the White House. That includes nearly $2 million of the first $2.7 million the group raised, FEC records show.

A spokesman for Our Destiny PAC told ABC News that it had returned any unused funds to donors after Huntsman withdrew for the campaign, but that the group remains ready to “spring into action” if needed.

Its only real financial activities after Huntsman withdrew from the race was receiving refunds from a media buying company and paying for legal costs, compliance services and other administrative costs. As of late November, the super PAC had about $23,000 last in the bank.

See more data on Our Destiny at OpenSecrets.org.

Advertisements:

• The PAC produced an anti-Romney ad entitled “Two,” which referred to Romney as “the chameleon.”
• Two other ads promoted Huntsman as the best conservative candidate: a minute-long advertisement entitled “Someone,” and a 30-second spot titled “Quotes.”

Last Updated: Jan. 17, 2013