BWWWWAAAAAHAHAHA. The Huckster’s toast now that Fred has dropped out. Romney will collect his supporters 3:1 over everyone else.
I agree. The Dems are drooling to have Huck in the race, and I don't want to give them what they want. Besides, the man has absolutely zero knowledge about foreign policy, let alone experience. At least Reagan knew that about which he spoke. Huck is a tax-and-spend liberal, a nanny-stater who'd ban smoking nationwide. No thanks.
That said, I'm voting for the Republican nominee. Huck and Rudy and McCain are my least favorite Republicans, but they haven't gone over to the dark side like Monica's boyfriend's wife or the empty Socialist suit from IL.
“Romney will collect his supporters 3:1 over everyone else.”
I don’t think so. It is more complex than that.
Of Fred’s supporters (based on primary issues):
Social Conservatives - Huckabee will get most of these except for the uninformed that don’t understand mormonism and the danger it poses for Christians. Romney with get these uninformed types. NRTL and other pro-life groups might endorse Huckabee or no one at all. If they endorse Romney the backlash against them would be intense...really intense.
Fiscal Conservatives - Probably Romney and Guiliani and McCain will split these.
National Defense (military) - McCain will get the most with some to Guiliani.
Border Defense (illegals) - ???? Ron Paul?
NRA types - Huckabee will get these.
Balanced (Ronald Reagan) Conservatives (all legs) - They will continue to vote for Fred when he appears on a ballot or attempt to write him in where allowed. Or, they will just sit it out. Fred was the last fully balanced candidate left.
The end result is that everyone will pick up some. However, Huckabee will gain the most status (not necessarily votes) because he will clearly be the only true and unquestioned social conservative left in the race. Social conservatives are the working base of the GOP. This won’t win him the nomination, but it will give him influence.