WASHINGTON – Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is on the rise as his campaign gains momentum, drawing stronger response not only from voters but also a fellow contender.
This past week the ordained Southern Baptist preacher bumped former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney from his first-tier position and caused the best financed Republican contender to take a personal shot at the not-so-well financed Huckabee.
Romney took a swipe at Huckabee Friday in an Iowa Public Television interview that the former Arkansas governor had supported “special tuition breaks to the children of illegal immigrants,” according to TIME.com's political blog Swampland.
It was the first time that the GOP frontrunner in Iowa had ever directed an attack solely at Huckabee.
“I must be doing well,” Huckabee said Saturday morning in response when he was informed of Romney’s comment.
Huckabee for the first time passed Romney in a national poll on Friday. The Rasmussen Reports, considered one of the nation’s most accurate polling firm, announced Friday that “for the first time ever” Huckabee moved into the top four.
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani holds the top position with 20 percent of likely Republican primary voters nationwide, followed by former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson with 19 percent, Arizona Sen. John McCain with 14 percent, Huckabee with 12 percent, and Romney with 11 percent nationally, according to Rasmussen.
“I guess I’d be coming after me too,” Huckabee said. “I’d also be crying, if I’d spent all that money.”
The Wall Street Journal and the head of Arkansas’ conservative Eagle Forum have also scrutinized Huckabee’s governing records, pointing out critical aspects as he gained greater prominence in the election.
Also this past week, the 30-million strong National Association of Evangelicals released a survey that showed Huckabee leading the list of 2008 presidential candidates in the October 2007 Evangelical Leaders survey.
The survey questioned 100 members of the NAE board of directors that include heads of evangelical denominations with about 45,000 local churches, executives of para-church organizations and colleges.
“There is no groundswell support for any Republican or Democratic candidate,” says NAE President Leith Anderson. “Huckabee is a clear first choice but there is concern that he is too far behind in the polls to catch up. If he does well in the Iowa caucuses or early primaries then Evangelicals may suddenly rally to his support.”
Huckabee first gained notable national attention after a surprising strong second-place finish in August at the Iowa straw poll and then coming in second narrowly behind Romney at the Washington Values Voter Summit earlier this month.
He has been called the “dark horse” and the “sleeper candidate” of the upcoming election as he continues to gain supporters with his down-to-earth, “I’m one of you” demeanor while proving to be a formidable foe during debates.
“His successes have been all the more remarkable for having been accomplished on a shoestring budget, suggesting that genuine voter affection, as opposed to advertising dollars, is driving the Huckabee surge,” noted Karen Tumulty, TIME magazine's national political correspondent on Saturday.
Although Huckabee had lost to Romney in the Values Voters straw poll by a narrow margin of 30 votes – receiving altogether 1,565 votes (online and onsite) compared to his rival’s 1,595 votes – the former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee had received 51.26 percent of the onsite votes compared to onsite runner-up Romney’s 10.40 percent.
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An Open Letter to the PROTESTANT community in Behalf of RON PAUL:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance127.html
Do you want to preserve America's sovereignty?
RON PAUL consistently scores a perfect 100 on the conservative New American magazine’s "Freedom Index."
RON PAUL: "I have never been one who is comfortable talking about my faith in the political arena. In fact, the pandering that typically occurs in the election season I find to be distasteful. But for those who have asked, I freely confess that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior, and that I seek His guidance in all that I do. I know, as you do, that our freedoms come not from man, but from God. My record of public service reflects my reverence for the Natural Rights with which we have been endowed by a loving Creator."
http://www.RonPaulTV.com
http://www.RonPaul2008.com
http://www.ChristiansforRonPaul.com
RON PAUL is also Christian, in fact there is no candidate who has unwaveringly held to the Biblical-based Constitution than RON PAUL. The Bible is our guidebook for our individual lives and the Consititution is the specifically written guidebook for a free society. There is no better patriot and no better candidate than Ron Paul. Please consider him and may God have mercy on our declining nation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_paul
Ron Paul is a believer in family values. Unlike many Christian "leaders" and Republican politicians who have admitted to adulterous affairs and/or been married multiple times, Dr. Paul has been married to the same woman for fifty years. He and his wife have been blessed with five children and seventeen grandchildren.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance109.html
www.RonPaulTV.com
www.RonPaul2008.com
HUCKABEE FOR PRESIDENT!! YEA!!
Mike Huckabee on Illegal Immigration: The Kids Matter
By far the most frequent and hysterical accusation we're seeing is that Mike Huckabee is perceived to be "soft" on illegal immigration. To help set the record straight on Mike Huckabee's position, we offer the following excerpts from a February 2005 article published by the Arkansas News Bureau.
By David Robinson
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK - Gov. Mike Huckabee got to speak directly Wednesday with Arkansans who [don't understand] his positions on immigration.
One caller to the "Ask the Governor" radio program on the Arkansas Radio Network accused Huckabee of ignoring the law when it comes to illegal immigrants.
"Did you not take an oath to uphold the laws of this land?" asked Chris, a caller from Little Rock.
"Absolutely," Huckabee replied.
"OK, then why would you turn a blind eye to illegal immigrants invading our country and coming in and basically breaking our laws?' the caller asked.
Huckabee said that he wasn't, and that he believes illegal aliens who try to vote or try to apply for welfare benefits should be arrested.
"If they're caught as illegal aliens, I don't have any problem with sending them back," Huckabee said.
He also criticized Senate Bill 206 by Sen. Jim Holt, R-Springdale, that would impose new restrictions on illegal immigrants in Arkansas. He said the bill could hurt the state's ability to recruit industries based in countries outside the U.S., such as Toyota or Nestle, or a Swiss company.
"If we send a message that essentially if you don't look like us, talk like us and speak like us we don't want you, it has tremendous economic repercussions," Huckabee said.
Huckabee also sought to dispel certain perceptions about the benefits that illegal immigrants are getting in Arkansas.
Huckabee repeated to several callers that illegal immigrants do not receive welfare benefits or food stamps or free health care. They do get free public education for their children, but that's required under the Arkansas Constitution, Huckabee said.
"And frankly I think we would want to make sure that their kids were getting an education because an educated society is a society that can work and do a job and do a better job and make money," Huckabee said.
As for allowing immigrants to receive free prenatal care, Huckabee said that's part of his pro-life sentiment as well as that of Amendment 65 of the state constitution, which says that Arkansas considers life to begin at conception.
"I believe that because it's a human life, then by our law and by our constitution even that unborn child is an Arkansas citizen because he or she is going to be born in this state," Huckabee said. "The prenatal care for the entire pregnancy costs less than one-third of what one day in the neonatal unit at Children's Hospital would cost if the child has complications at birth."
I was opposed to Mike Huckabee because of his position on Immgration. He was first choice since last year. I actually prayed that he would enter the presidetial race. I glad.
Up then I heard about his record on immigration. How he allowed illegals to get welfare benifits in his state and how charged racism the repeated cries to shut the borders.
So Im not a smitten withh him as I was in the begining. In fact I lose hope altogether. But If Huckabee got the nomination. I'd vote for him. There no one else. Besides he's a likable guy.
I liked Duncan Hunter. But I don't really know him. How can we really know a man until he gets in the white House.
I still like Hunter more the Huckabee. But If Huckabee is the Choice. I guess God is the one who made it.
God Bless Everyone and God Help on the illegal immgrant sitution.
I think that Huckabee will be a good pick for VP. Romney being conservative is a front, but I do believe he has what it takes to improve the economy and for domestic issues. Terrorism is a big ? with him. If that is the team, I think it will be sucessful. For the GOP to get the WH you need a slightly right moderate pres and a conservative VP.
We know Huckabee from way before he ran for Governor, and have seen him grow in many fine qualities of leadership. He has really passed the test of character as far as I can see. He would make a strong president and I think he has what it takes and what this country needs at this time.
I LOVE Huckabee :) And he's inching up in the polls too! The more people get to know him, the better he's doing. And he's a great article about how he's the best bet for the Republicans to win the presidency in 08: http://www.newsweek.com/id/57616/page/1
I wonder how CP handles those who hold multiple accounts... and for those who use those accounts to post in the same article.... nice.
YAY Mike Huckabee! He will be on Bill O'Reilly soon! (According to his schedule on the site)
mikehuckabee.com
cool. Let's not argue about it. You have the right to believe what ever you want.
dannygirl,
following are two direct quotes from your 3:01p.m.10/29/07 post....
"But send back those uninvited and that came here with out a visa. "
and
"Our Sovereinty is from God. We are a haven for the whole world. "
condradictory much? how can we be a haven if we throw out the uninvited?
cool.. Let's not argue about it. You have the right to believe waht you want.
Danny,
I appreciate the opportunity to discuss these ideas with you.
listener316,
Dude, I am so for Hunter! Go Hunter , Go!
Amen???
Danny