The North Greenville University campus was abuzz in anticipation of hearing Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
But three days later, the excitement surrounding the former Arkansas governor and Southern Baptist minister –- at the Baptist-affiliated university and elsewhere in South Carolina -- fell shy of a win in South Carolina's Jan. 19 primary.
Instead, Sen. John McCain continued his Lazarus-like ascent by winning the state's GOP primary Saturday after nearly every pundit had crossed off his presidential bid a few months ago. McCain, having waited eight years for the South Carolina win after losing to George W. Bush in 2000, now has added momentum heading into the Florida primary on Jan. 29 and Super Tuesday primaries in more than 20 states on Feb. 5.
At North Greenville University, Huckabee said he sensed "amazing support all around the state" and projected in an interview with Baptist Press that, with a win in South Carolina, "I'll be the frontrunner."
Among evangelicals, Huckabee garnered 43 percent of the vote, according to an exit poll, while McCain received 27 percent, Fred Thompson 15 percent and Mitt Romney 11 percent.
Overall, evangelicals account for 28 percent of the registered voters in this buckle of the Bible Belt.
Greenville County GOP chairman Samuel Harms had said evangelicals like himself are "finding their voice in Mike Huckabee. Most of the calls I've received were for Huckabee." Most evangelicals in the South, Harms projected, "are going with him no matter what."
Likewise, Lisa Van Riper, an NGU professor and president of South Carolina Citizens for Life, had said evangelicals are "looking for a voice, someone who can articulate their concerns." Her organization, however, had endorsed Thompson as such a candidate -- "the strongest candidate, strongest pro-life candidate to go against Rudy Giuliani," the former mayor of New York City. But Thompson finished third in the primary.
Regarding Thompson, Harms had noted, "He did not spend enough time here.... I fear for him that it's too little too late."
That fear was realized, but the state's evangelicals have concerns about the other candidates as well.
Romney placed fourth in South Carolina. He had been first in the polls for months until Huckabee and McCain surpassed him within the last two weeks.
Despite endorsements by Bob Jones III and Robert Taylor at Bob Jones University, Romney was unable to persuade many evangelicals to support his campaign. David Gallamore, senior pastor of Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley, said, "It is a good possibility that [Romney's Mormonism] would hamper" his campaign among various evangelical pastors.
Some support is flowing "away from Romney due to his Mormonism," agreed Frank Page, Southern Baptist Convention president and senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Taylors.
Regarding McCain, Van Riper said she views him as an acceptable candidate because of his pro-life record, while describing Giuliani's acceptance of abortion and homosexuality as unacceptable.
But Harms disagreed. "[McCain] has criticized conservatives, opposed their issues. Nobody is bringing out McCain's [recent] record because the media had counted him out."
McCain has had a somewhat split record on pro-family issues, voting against a federal marriage amendment twice while leaving open the possibility he could support it if the Defense of Marriage Act was struck down. McCain backed Arizona's proposed marriage amendment and even appeared in commercials urging support for it. On other issues, he supports embryonic stem cell research, although he opposes Roe v. Wade and says he would stand up for the "rights of the unborn" if president and nominate Supreme Court justices like John Roberts and Samuel Alito.
Harms said, for now, McCain's "Straight Talk Express" and his "tough talk on terror and strong bio [as a war hero] are working for him."
The difference between McCain and Huckabee for many evangelicals is trust, said Tony Beam, a North Greenville University vice president. Huckabee's character, Beam said, "is my default mode."
"I can support him," Van Riper said, though cautioning that this trust leaves evangelicals "tempted to not review [Huckabee's] record."
Page echoed a general support for Huckabee with a similar caution. "I do think that evangelicals are moving toward Huckabee," Page said. "He is closest to most evangelicals and Baptists in faith and moral issues" but concerns exist over "foreign, economic and immigration policies," Page said.
On fiscal matters, where his conservatism has been challenged, Huckabee told Baptist Press, "As much as possible to deal with social needs, the church is best. The federal government is the least effective and should be the last resort when things break down."
On immigration, Huckabee became the first major presidential candidate to sign Americans for Better Immigration's "No Amnesty Pledge," which states, "I pledge to oppose amnesty or any other special path to citizenship for the millions of foreign nationals unlawfully present in the United States."
The pledge continues: "As President, I will fully implement enforcement measures that, over time, will lead to the attrition of our illegal immigrant population. I also pledge to make security of our borders a top priority of my administration."
In contrast, as governor, Huckabee fought against his Democrat-led legislature to allow tuition breaks for illegal-alien college students, according to The Washington Times.
Page told Baptist Press, "Everybody makes shifts. It is incumbent upon Mike Huckabee to state clearly where he was, where he is today and where he changed."
Giuliani, meanwhile, generates the most active opposition among evangelicals. Giuliani, who did not compete in the Iowa caucuses and in the early primary states, is waiting to fight in Florida on Jan. 29, Super Tuesday on Feb. 5 and then the rest of the states.
Harms said he does not believe Giuliani can win the GOP nomination outright, "but if he wins California and New York, there will be a brokered convention." At such a convention, "I [could not] and many other evangelicals [could not] support Giuliani."
Page said he agrees with James Dobson of Focus on the Family that a united front against Giuliani is needed and that "evangelicals can realistically defeat him." Even a ticket with Giuliani on top and Huckabee for vice president "would be problematic for Dr. Dobson and myself," Page said.
Huckabee, during his concession speech Saturday night, said that he hadn't lost, but "the clock ran out on us."
Nov 3, 2007
Huckabee hit by Wall Street’s Fund
On October 20, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee received a resounding 80% vote of attendees of the evangelical Family Research Council DC conference.
Another boost then the broadside
Though he placed a close second in the overall straw poll vote, including online voters, Huckabee received this big boost followed by an admiring piece of the New York Times columnist David Brooks who called him the GOP’s “unity” candidate. Warren Cole Smith of the Evangelical Press News Service believe Huckabee to be the evangelical dream candidate. Sandwiched in the accolades was a broadside from Wall Street Journal’s conservative columnist John Fund.
All three articles were convincing to a point. Then came Huckabee’s response to Fund’s criticism; this article seemed to have been the less convincing one for some conservatives.
The unity candidate
Brooks’ piece asserted that Huckabee’s social conservatism and moderate economic and governmental approach could unite the various factions of the GOP, thereby giving it a united front against Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democrat nominee.
The dream candidate
Smith's article noted that Huckabee is the dream evangelical candidate who is building his support and who can defeat liberalism (Giuliani) and Mormonism (Romney) then possibly go all the way to the White House seemed plausible. But Smith’s piece seemed long on hope and short on a few accurate details. He said, “Romney’s numbers are “not even in the teens.” In fact, Romney is leading in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina. Another dreamy quote: “If current trends continue, he could overtake either McCain or Romney in the national polls within the next few weeks.” Smith needs to look at RealClearPolitics.com and its long term media polls to see reality clearly.
A liberal-populist
WSJ’s Fund used credible sources in advancing his view that Huckabee is socially conservative but liberal-populist on economic matters, while Huckabee’s disposition in dealing with a Democrat Congress is moderate.
Fund quotes:
1. long-time conservative Phyllis Schlafly: “He destroyed the conservative movement in Arkansas, and left the Republican Party in shambles;”
2. Republican conservative and former Colorado governor Bill Owens (a Romney supporter) said: “he took positions to my left” during the National Governors’ Association meetings;
3. Paul Pressler, a former federal circuit court judge over Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana and who led the conservative Southern Baptist resurgence said: "I know of no conservative he appointed while he headed the Arkansas Baptist Convention."
A moderate approach
These specific criticisms were not answered directly by Huckabee in his October 28 response. Some of the specifics he offered were his strong willingness to compromise with U.S. congressional Democrats regarding the SCHIP (a federal health program for children) and his commitment to reducing “our emission of greenhouse gases” by supporting “a cap and trade system.” Both issues are not front burner items for conservatives.
Huckabee listed his accomplishment in Arkansas, including providing $90 million in tax relief, a total of $380 million over 10.5 years while doubling the standard deduction for single and married taxpayers and creating health insurance coverage for more than 70,000 Arkansas kids.
An appeal for understanding
Huckabee appealed to his difficult position in passing Republican and/or conservative policies in an “overwhelmingly Democratic" state congress.
A social conservative, not a Reagan conservative
His answers were reasonable though not as effectively advanced as Fund’s criticisms. Hope, Arkansas’ Huckabee may be the hope for many evangelicals but may not be the highest hope for Ronald Reagan conservatives.
Another boost then the broadside
Though he placed a close second in the overall straw poll vote, including online voters, Huckabee received this big boost followed by an admiring piece of the New York Times columnist David Brooks who called him the GOP’s “unity” candidate. Warren Cole Smith of the Evangelical Press News Service believe Huckabee to be the evangelical dream candidate. Sandwiched in the accolades was a broadside from Wall Street Journal’s conservative columnist John Fund.
All three articles were convincing to a point. Then came Huckabee’s response to Fund’s criticism; this article seemed to have been the less convincing one for some conservatives.
The unity candidate
Brooks’ piece asserted that Huckabee’s social conservatism and moderate economic and governmental approach could unite the various factions of the GOP, thereby giving it a united front against Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democrat nominee.
The dream candidate
Smith's article noted that Huckabee is the dream evangelical candidate who is building his support and who can defeat liberalism (Giuliani) and Mormonism (Romney) then possibly go all the way to the White House seemed plausible. But Smith’s piece seemed long on hope and short on a few accurate details. He said, “Romney’s numbers are “not even in the teens.” In fact, Romney is leading in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina. Another dreamy quote: “If current trends continue, he could overtake either McCain or Romney in the national polls within the next few weeks.” Smith needs to look at RealClearPolitics.com and its long term media polls to see reality clearly.
A liberal-populist
WSJ’s Fund used credible sources in advancing his view that Huckabee is socially conservative but liberal-populist on economic matters, while Huckabee’s disposition in dealing with a Democrat Congress is moderate.
Fund quotes:
1. long-time conservative Phyllis Schlafly: “He destroyed the conservative movement in Arkansas, and left the Republican Party in shambles;”
2. Republican conservative and former Colorado governor Bill Owens (a Romney supporter) said: “he took positions to my left” during the National Governors’ Association meetings;
3. Paul Pressler, a former federal circuit court judge over Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana and who led the conservative Southern Baptist resurgence said: "I know of no conservative he appointed while he headed the Arkansas Baptist Convention."
A moderate approach
These specific criticisms were not answered directly by Huckabee in his October 28 response. Some of the specifics he offered were his strong willingness to compromise with U.S. congressional Democrats regarding the SCHIP (a federal health program for children) and his commitment to reducing “our emission of greenhouse gases” by supporting “a cap and trade system.” Both issues are not front burner items for conservatives.
Huckabee listed his accomplishment in Arkansas, including providing $90 million in tax relief, a total of $380 million over 10.5 years while doubling the standard deduction for single and married taxpayers and creating health insurance coverage for more than 70,000 Arkansas kids.
An appeal for understanding
Huckabee appealed to his difficult position in passing Republican and/or conservative policies in an “overwhelmingly Democratic" state congress.
A social conservative, not a Reagan conservative
His answers were reasonable though not as effectively advanced as Fund’s criticisms. Hope, Arkansas’ Huckabee may be the hope for many evangelicals but may not be the highest hope for Ronald Reagan conservatives.
Romney rolling right along
Romney rolling right along
Two weeks after technically winning the evangelical Family Research Council (FRC) straw poll in Washington, DC, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is rolling right along in the Republican primary for United States president.
Behind but ahead
Though he is behind Rudy Giuliani in the national poll according to Realclearpolitics.com, he is leading in Iowa by 13.5 points, 8.0 in New Hampshire and .3 in South Carolina--the three most important leadoff primary events. How has Romney done this?
Diligently and shrewdly
For a year now, he has invested time, money and ideas in his campaign for president. He has plenty of money, time and ideas but he has also been shrewd. He has advertised early, put out the necessary time and money during critical moment while also building an impressive organization, especially here in South Carolina. His economic acumen is only matched by his political shrewdness.
Shrewdness snatches a big win
During the DC FRC straw poll, he received strong support by attendees but not compared to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. A reliable source told me that Huckabee would win the straw poll by an overwhelming margin.
After the final vote was cast, Romney snatched victory from Huckabee by 30 votes out of almost 6000 cast.
Though he lost the attendee or on-site vote by almost 5:1, he came from nowhere to take the overall straw poll which accepted off site or online voting. Romney's shrewdness is evidence by Facebook email titled "2008 American Values Straw Poll: To members of Students for Mitt." Then it encourages supporters: "Please visit fraction.org and vote in the American Values Straw Poll by this Saturday. October 20 at noon EDT."
Mormon Romney takes evangelical vote
This last minute effort and other timely efforts allowed Mormon Romney to take the evangelical vote home.
At this moment, with Giuliani and Thompson getting a broadside from Dr. James Dobson, a prominent evangelical leader, and losing some steam, Romney seems to be swimming upstream diligently and shrewdly toward victory in the primary. After also being "rejected" by Dobson, he spoke admiring of Dobson and evangelicals during the FRC event which honored Dobson, and came away with a technical "KO" (knockout).
Getting along swimmingly
In a New York Times piece, Greenville (S.C.) County Republican chairman Samuel Harms said, Romney is running the ablest campaign. And after picking up Bob Jones, III's endorsement, the evangelical American Center for Law and Justice director Jay Sekulow and others, Romney is rolling right along. Or, as our British friends would say, he is getting along "swimmingly."
Update for November 7, 2008:
From Newsmax.com, conservative leader, Paul Weyrich, president of the Free Congress Foundation and who was the first president of the Heritage Foundation and instrumental in starting the Moral Majority, endorsed Mitt Romney as the presidential nominee of the Republican Party.
According to the Associated Press, Christian conservative leader and former presidential candidate, Pat Robertson, president of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Regent University and host the 700 Club, endorsed Rudy Giuliani as the presidential nominee of the Republican Party.
Two weeks after technically winning the evangelical Family Research Council (FRC) straw poll in Washington, DC, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is rolling right along in the Republican primary for United States president.
Behind but ahead
Though he is behind Rudy Giuliani in the national poll according to Realclearpolitics.com, he is leading in Iowa by 13.5 points, 8.0 in New Hampshire and .3 in South Carolina--the three most important leadoff primary events. How has Romney done this?
Diligently and shrewdly
For a year now, he has invested time, money and ideas in his campaign for president. He has plenty of money, time and ideas but he has also been shrewd. He has advertised early, put out the necessary time and money during critical moment while also building an impressive organization, especially here in South Carolina. His economic acumen is only matched by his political shrewdness.
Shrewdness snatches a big win
During the DC FRC straw poll, he received strong support by attendees but not compared to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. A reliable source told me that Huckabee would win the straw poll by an overwhelming margin.
After the final vote was cast, Romney snatched victory from Huckabee by 30 votes out of almost 6000 cast.
Though he lost the attendee or on-site vote by almost 5:1, he came from nowhere to take the overall straw poll which accepted off site or online voting. Romney's shrewdness is evidence by Facebook email titled "2008 American Values Straw Poll: To members of Students for Mitt." Then it encourages supporters: "Please visit fraction.org and vote in the American Values Straw Poll by this Saturday. October 20 at noon EDT."
Mormon Romney takes evangelical vote
This last minute effort and other timely efforts allowed Mormon Romney to take the evangelical vote home.
At this moment, with Giuliani and Thompson getting a broadside from Dr. James Dobson, a prominent evangelical leader, and losing some steam, Romney seems to be swimming upstream diligently and shrewdly toward victory in the primary. After also being "rejected" by Dobson, he spoke admiring of Dobson and evangelicals during the FRC event which honored Dobson, and came away with a technical "KO" (knockout).
Getting along swimmingly
In a New York Times piece, Greenville (S.C.) County Republican chairman Samuel Harms said, Romney is running the ablest campaign. And after picking up Bob Jones, III's endorsement, the evangelical American Center for Law and Justice director Jay Sekulow and others, Romney is rolling right along. Or, as our British friends would say, he is getting along "swimmingly."
Update for November 7, 2008:
From Newsmax.com, conservative leader, Paul Weyrich, president of the Free Congress Foundation and who was the first president of the Heritage Foundation and instrumental in starting the Moral Majority, endorsed Mitt Romney as the presidential nominee of the Republican Party.
According to the Associated Press, Christian conservative leader and former presidential candidate, Pat Robertson, president of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Regent University and host the 700 Club, endorsed Rudy Giuliani as the presidential nominee of the Republican Party.
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