Huckabee Says Farewell to '08 Presidential Race

WASHINGTON – Mike Huckabee ended his bid for the White House Tuesday night after expected Republican nominee John McCain swept Tuesday’s contests and secured the delegates needed to be crowned his party’s nomination in the general election this fall.

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(Photo: AP Images / Matt Slocum)

Republican presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, right, drops out of the Republican presidential race at a primary watch party, Tuesday, March 4, 2008, in Irving, Texas, after John McCain clinched the nomination. 'We kept the faith,' he told his end-of-the-road rally. At left, Huckabee's wife Janet.

Since the beginning, little was expected from the practically unknown former Arkansas governor who had little resources and no powerful backing from Washington’s political establishment. But despite the mountains of obstacles and naysayers, Huckabee strained ahead and persisted to remain in the race until the very end.

"It's been a heckuva run," Huckabee said Tuesday night, according to CNN.

"Clearly, things didn't go our way tonight, and we had hoped they would," he told reporters on his plane back to Little Rock, Ark. "But when the inevitable is staring you in the face, you accept it."

McCain won contests in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island Tuesday, giving the Arizona senator 1,226 out of the 1,191 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

But former presidential candidate Huckabee was not depressed about his loss. Instead, he joked about how his campaign surpassed everyone’s expectation, including his own.
"We started this effort with very little recognition and virtually no resources," Huckabee told supporters, according to The Associated Press.

"We ended with slightly more recognition and very few resources,” he said drawing a crowd of laughter.

"But what a journey," Huckabee said. "What a journey. A journey of a lifetime."

The chronic underdog has never been shy about his shortcomings, whether it was about his shoestring campaign or his humble beginnings. Huckabee, a former Baptist preacher, was also never shy to speak about his Christian faith.

He frequently referenced Scripture in speeches and wooed evangelical audiences with his familiarity with the Bible. While on the campaign trail, he would stop at churches to give sermons as a pastor that were devoid of any political references. He often reminded Christian supporters that he did not come to them but rather came from them.

As a result of promoting himself as a true Christian leader, born-again evangelical voters turned out in droves at primaries to cast their votes for him. This large bloc of the Republican Party helped Huckabee win in the states of Iowa, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kansas.

During his campaign, Huckabee was outspoken in his opposition to abortion and gay “marriage,” promising constitutional amendments if elected president. But in general, he was not seen as a divisive figure, as he preferred to respond to attacks with humor and lighthearted responses.

Huckabee said he was proud that he ran a civil campaign and that he called McCain Tuesday night to congratulate him.

"I'd rather lose an election," he said, according to AP, "than lose the principles that got me into politics in the first place."

Huckabee has urged his supporters to back McCain in November and said he has no back-up plan for his political career.