‘The View’ Panel Shake-Up: Abby Huntsman Leaving Show To Focus On Father’s Political Campaign

One current The View co-host is leaving the show, but it is not the person that many viewers might initially guess. Abby Huntsman is reportedly departing in order to help her father with his next political campaign.

Fellow co-host Meghan McCain is frequently under fire for things that transpire on The View, and she has supposedly become something of an outcast behind the scenes. Despite those supposed tensions, it’s not Meghan who is leaving the show — at least not yet.

Instead, it’s Abby who has decided to move on to other projects. According to People Magazine, the former Fox & Friends Weekend correspondent is leaving her weekday television gig in order to help her father, Jon Huntsman Jr., as he runs to become the next governor of Utah.

Abby’s announcement was incorporated into Monday’s show, but she released a statement to People ahead of the episode airing.

“Family has always been my number one priority, and is where I need to be focused at this time,” Abby explained.

The View added Abby to the co-hosting panel in September 2018. Shortly after joining the show, she announced that she was pregnant with twins. She added William Jeffrey and Ruby Kate to the family about seven months ago.

“We are incredibly close and are there to support and help each other when it matters. It’s not often there is a political campaign that involves someone you love and believe in, but this is one of them,” Abby continued, on her decision to depart The View to focus on her father’s gubernatorial run.

Abby noted that it had always been a dream of hers to be on The View panel, and she expressed the gratitude she had for everybody connected to the show. The talk show’s executive producers, in turn, released a statement praising Abby and noting their disappointment in losing her.

For now, Abby plans to commute between Utah and her current home in New York. As The Salt Lake Tribune detailed last August, Jon Huntsman Jr. resigned as ambassador to Russia so that he could move back to Utah and prepare for this run. He officially announced his candidacy in November.

Ballotpedia notes that Jon was the governor of Utah from 2005 to 2009. He is one of several declared candidates hoping to win the 2020 election to take over when the current governor, Gary Herbert, departs.

It doesn’t look as if The View is ready to make any announcements regarding a replacement panelist as Abby departs, so for now, fans will have to hang tight and wait for additional details to emerge.