POLITICS
Huckabee Stunning Observers While Moving Up Polls
2007-11-09 05:35am
Conservative GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee, the former governor or Arkansas, is stunning some political observers by polling well in recent weeks.
Mr. Huckabee, who lost 100 pounds over the past few years and wrote about the experience in a book, "Quit Digging Your Grave With a Fork and a Knife," is using his southern quick wit to win favor with Republican voters. That, and his staunch conservatism – he is pro-gun, a Baptist preacher who is anti-gay marriage, and hawkish on the war on terror – continue to propel him higher in the polls.
A survey by RealClearPolitics.com had him finishing at 15 percent – in second place behind frontrunner and former Mass. governor Mitt Romney. A separate survey by Rasmussen Reports had Mr. Huckabee third behind Rudy Giuliani (first) and former senator and actor Fred Thompson – but ahead of Sen. John McCain and Mr. Romney.
Despite his recent splash, however, many political analysts say his chances of winning the GOP nomination are slim. He has raised only about $2.3 million as if October – just enough to make a big push in the Iowa caucus – and will likely run out of money thereafter.
Increasingly, he is being talked about as a vice president – someone who could assuage doubts about Mr. Romney's Mormon religion, and as a southerner one who could help balance out the more liberal northeast.
Mr. Romney, meanwhile, has broken out in a 15-percentage point lead over Mr. Romney in New Hampshire, another early caucus state, Rasmussen Reports said.
(c) 2007 Newsroom.