Maybe Huckabee was feeling left out

Mike Huckabee has spent the last few days watching Pat Robertson endorse Rudy Giuliani and Paul Weyrich endorse Mitt Romney while getting no love himself from the nation's social conservative leadership.  And Huckabee's a bass-playing minister, no less (would that be a bass player playing to the base?).

So today Huckabee gets one of his own: Donald Wildmon, founder of the American Family Foundation and a big player in Christian radio, not to mention an ace boycott organizer when he finds TV programs, movies and art offensive.

So what does all this mean?  Clearly the social conservatives within the Republican Party have not been able to find a presidential horse they all want to ride together.  Some don't want to ride at all.  For the last few cycles they have been kingmakers in terms of awarding nominations.  But with the different leaders scattering every which way this time around, you have to figure the advantage goes to Giuliani -- the least-attractive (on the surface) candidate to the social conservatives.

Of course, we wouldn't be betting our money on this.  But still ...

UPDATE: Our colleague Stephanie Simon's piece from Iowa in today's paper explores the support Huckabee is receiving among Iowa voters.  And it illustrates an interesting dynamic.  Of the lower-tier candidates, Ron Paul has been grabbing some of the spotlight for his surprising fundraising success but hasn't seen a related spike in poll support.  Huckabee's been showing poll support -- at least in Iowa -- but has been having trouble raising cash.  Of course, neither of them are seeing the cash nor poll numbers the front-runners are getting.

And this points out the dialectic of presidential nomination fights: Broad national support gets trumped by strong local support in key early-voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire.  The candidates know that -- which is why they're spending so much time in those two states.  And why Huckabee's seeming embrace in the corn belt could mean something.

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[Joel]

Huckabee won't be feeling left out when he has the 2 most influential leaders, Wildmon and Dr. Dobson. Check this out: http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=12292

Dr. James Dobson has apparently found his man, and according to an adviser, is ready to change the landscape of the Republican nomination race.

Sources close to Dobson say that within the next ten days he is coordinating an endorsement plan with the presidential campaign of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Dobson's endorsement, according to the Huckabee source, could mean millions in fundraising to the campaign, allowing it to compete at the same level with the top tier candidates Huckabee has been inching toward in the polls after a series of strong debate and campaign appearances.

"It would help us get to the Thompson-McCain level if not higher," says the source. "Dr. Dobson's endorsement means that much."

[Kyle B]

It might actually be better for Gov. Huckabee if he continues to gain in the polls without the support of the Christian Right because then he can claim to be the Candidate of the People not of the Elites! Read more about him here: http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=VerticalDay.Home&l=50F49E7D03868E58F54AA1ED674B0C61

[Thaddeus]

Mike Huckabee will win, but only if we do our part. Sign up to donate $100 (or more) on Children's Day, November 20th and help Mike Huckabee raise $1,000,000 in one day!

[Jon Eskenas]

Thanks for mentioning those things about Governor Huckabee. Not only are his numbers rising in Iowa and national primary polls, but recent polls also show him catching up to Hillary Clinton in possible general election polls. Rasmussen shows him now trailing by only 3 points (49% to 46%), as opposed to 8 points just a short time ago. This with still 26% of the people wanting to learn more about the Governor. One thing has been clear - when people get to know Huckabee, large percentages of them start to support Huckabee. The same trend will continue. He is the best of the Republican candidates and the most electable as well.

http://losangeles4huckabee.blogspot.com/