[Route66]

Most of those who have bought into the Huckabee craze do not know that much about him. The illegal immigration issue is at or near the very top of the list of importance in this election and his record and his stand on this, despite some recent comments carefully spun to try to make them more palatable, are going to be a deal breaker with the American people.

[curiosity]

Most of those who have bought into the Huckabee craze do not know that much about him. The illegal immigration issue is at or near the very top of the list of importance in this election

That's true nationally, but it may not be true in Iowa. I hope it is; then Romney can take the Huckster down by pounding away on the issue.

But I'm worried that may not be enough to take out the socialist.

[dufekin]

I recognize that illegal immigration is a huge issue to most on this board, but it’s not critical for me. I want a candidate who at minimum will prosecute the war against the Islamofascist terrorists, will appoint the most originalist pro-life Justices possible to vacancies on the Supreme Court of the United States, and will limit entitlements and spending thereupon as much as politically possible. Those criteria rule out any Democrats, Ron Paul, and Rudolph Giuliani. Romney’s recent pro-life conversion and health care boondoggle in Massachusetts lead me to search for other candidates. John McCain isn’t a serious candidate given his collapse in the polls to sixth behind Ron Paul and probably stands the least chance to win.

I’ve parked in Huckabee’s camp long before he was popular primarily because he possesses the executive experience that the other candidates lack. Huckabee is admittedly disturbingly weak on fiscal issues. We unfortunately lack a large repertoire of successful strong conservative governors, and some like Mark Sanford (South Carolina) declined to run. Fred Thompson seems solid but relatively unaccomplished.