When Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman visited the Ledger-Transcript offices in November, he described himself as the “sane Republican.” In more than 100 New Hampshire events, several in the Monadnock region, the former governor of Utah and ex-ambassador to China has demonstrated convincingly that not only is he the sane candidate, he is the most qualified to be the GOP standard-bearer in 2012.

At a time when most GOP candidates adhere without exception to the litmus tests of their party extremists, Huntsman stands out as a moderate voice amid the clatter of partisan rhetoric. He is pro-life and a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, but he acknowledges the role of carbon emissions in global warming and takes a realistic approach to immigration reform.

Rather than demonize the incumbent, he has worked with the Obama administration on foreign policy as an ambassador. Of all the GOP candidates, he has demonstrated an ability to reach across the aisle in pursuit of bipartisan solutions.

His behavior on the campaign trail and most of his policy prescriptions support the comments he made to our editorial board, in which he described himself as providing, “good, center right, pragmatic problem-solving leadership, which I think this nation desperately needs.”

Huntsman, like most of his opponents, is focused on the economy, particularly the size of the federal deficit. His platform includes a blend of traditional GOP prescriptions, such as eliminating regulatory barriers to business. But he also has shown some innovative thinking on tax reform, with his three-tiered, flat-rate income tax (8 percent, 14 percent and 23 percent, scaled by income level).

He believes Social Security recipients should be subject to means testing, and be willing to make the “shared sacrifice” of contributing to the system but not receiving benefits if their income and assets fall above a certain limit. That’s a refreshing perspective from a Republican, most of whom characterize the wealthy as “job creators” who need to be protected.

Other candidates speak generally about cutting government waste, but Huntsman has been specific, proposing for instance the elimination of agricultural subsides nationwide, even though such a position kills any chance for success in the critical Iowa caucuses.

Huntsman is focused like a laser on the nation’s growing fiscal crisis, which he rightfully acknowledges is a national security threat as well as an economic issue. He has shown the courage to stand on his principles even at the cost of political capital. He is a skilled debater with a track record of non-partisan performance based on national interests, not party politics.

If Republicans want to regain the White House, they will have to nominate a candidate who can appeal to mainstream American voters, not just party extremists. Jon Huntsman gives the GOP an opportunity to move more to the center, at a time when the nation is desperate for a consensus-builder who puts the welfare of Americans ahead of partisan political pursuits.