After two years of diving into the sometimes rough waters of being a co-host on ABC’s consistently polarizing The View, Abby Huntsman announced today that she is leaving the show and hitting the campaign trail.
With infighting and rumors of Meghan McCain being iced out, Huntsman’s departure is a bit of a shock, as this leaves McCain as the sole conservative voice at the table. Huntsman is leaving the show to help drive her father John Huntsman gubernatorial run in the state of Utah. Huntsman said today that “there is no one she believes in more than my own dad right now”.
During discussion on her departure, McCain called her longtime friend and fellow LGBT advocate a “bright light” while Joy Behar called her ‘one of the nicest people she has ever worked with”. Legal eagle Sunny Hostin said that she “values her friendship”, while Huntsman clearly mentioned that moderator Whoopi Goldberg taught her from day one, that “your family, your happiness, always number one”.
As for a possible replacement for Huntsman, there are several options on the table. Part time panelist Ana Navarro being elevated to a full time panelist position is an obvious choice, while both actress Yvette Nicole Brown and GOP strategist Tara Setmeyer both had strong showings during recent guest starring appearances.
Art Courtesy of ABC Television