Despite loss, Huckabee Enjoyed Strong Support from Conservatives

OneNewsNow ^ | 2/12/2008 | Jim Brown

[dano1]

A conservative political commentator says former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's savvy campaigning held Arizona Senator John McCain to only a modest victory in the winner-take-all Virginia Republican primary.

A strong showing in the more affluent Northern Virginia suburbs propelled McCain to a close win over Mike Huckabee, who trailed in a recent Virginia poll by 28 points.

Exit polls show Huckabee did well among conservatives in Virginia, while McCain did well among self-described conservatives in Maryland.

Former Republican National Committee official Genevieve Wood notes endorsements McCain picked up from veteran Senator John Warner and two former Virginia Governors - George Allen and Jim Gilmore, did not translate into grassroots support among conservatives.

"I think tonight's results show that if you don't campaign and your opponent does, that they're going to probably do much better than you may have expected - certainly when your opponent is Mike Huckabee, who is very good on the stump, who is very good when he's on the campaign trail at turning out his supporters " said Wood. "I think that's what you saw in Virginia," she observes. "Mike Huckabee spent time in Virginia. McCain spent very little."

Wood believes social conservatives are not going to let the presumptive nominee get his support easily.

"There's nothing wrong with saying, 'Here's where we disagreed. Here's where we're concerned about you being the nominee of the Republican Party and potentially being president'" Wood argues. "Having said that, I think John McCain as we've already seen on the immigration issue has begun to learn a bit from the more conservative wing of the Republican Party, is perhaps being changed by it. I think in the end, most conservatives will realize that John McCain in the White House will give them a lot more on their agenda and work with them far more than Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama would."

Wood says although he's lost the delegate battle, Huckabee is pulling in enough support and enough votes to force McCain to spend money, time and resources that he'd rather be spending on the general election.

[Uncle Miltie]

Did McCain finally break 50%? I don’t recall him ever winning an outright majority in a Republican Primary or Caucus yet.

[Free Vulcan]

There are conservatives in Maryland?

[iowamark]

Huckabee's savvy campaigning held Arizona Senator John McCain to only a modest victory in the winner-take-all Virginia Republican primary.

What is "savvy" about winning zero delegates in a winner take all primary?

[TornadoAlley3]

http://www.theind.com/blog/2008/02/huckabee-la-primary-is-goofy.asp

the fix is in, it will be McCain.

[Sun]

Mike Huckabee did great last night, even McCain admitted it was closer than he expected.

D.C. and Maryland are super liberal, so this is McCain territory, for sure. And Virginia is not as conservative as it used to be, because liberals from other states have moved in, PLUS Independents & Dems can vote in VA, which always helps McCain.

Let’s not forget about the other two (or three, if Wash. State ever counted the votes) primaries that Huckabee just won.

Also, the less votes McCain gets (even if he does get the nomination), the more McCain will realize that he has to mend some of his ways, if he wants conservatives to vote for him in the General Election (rather than stay home, or vote 3rd party).

Go Huckabee! McCain doesn’t have enough delegates.

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/

[rintense]

Not this conservative.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Where've you guys been? I missed you. Huck is finished, let me buy you a beer to celebrate.

Bud Light presents:

"REAL MEN OF GENIUS"

...(Real men of genius)

Today we salute you, Mr. Mike Huckabee paid FR campaign shill!

...(Mr. Mike Huckabee paid FR campaign shill)

What does a liberal Republican do when he is afraid to face grass roots conservatives himself? He pays his coffee and errand boy minimum wage to do it for him

...(skim milk with three sweet and lows)

Sitting in a cubicle at campaign headquarters you search Conservative websites like the NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, Salon, CNN and Daily Kos looking for favorable articles about the Huckster to post on FR

...(oooh, here's one from DU!)

Armed with nothing but talking points from Hucks' website, you attempt to convince conservatives that your candidate is not a Christian socialist or a pro-life Democrat

...(Jesus would want amnesty for illegals)

When FReepers say Huck is a fiscal liberal, algore loving environmental wacko, open border amnesty pusher, violent criminal pardoner, Jimmy Carter foreign policy appeaser, nanny state smoker banner you provide the brilliant original response...a link to his campaign website

...(copy, paste, copy, paste)

Conservatives? We don't need no stinkin' Conservatives!

...(Highly overrated)

All we need is a leftist who is pro-life, has an R next to his name, and talks about Jesus.

...(Praise the Lord!)

So crack open an ice cold Bud Light, oh Karl Rove of the blogosphere, because when a FReeper runs for office, we'll be calling you...

...(Mr. Mike Huckabee paid FR campaign shill)

Bud Light beer. Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri.

[I Hired Craig Livingstone]

There are conservatives in Maryland?

Yes. Western Maryland is Roscoe Bartlett country -- 93.9% lifetime ACU rating.

[I Hired Craig Livingstone]

LMAO.... it’s funny ‘cuz it’s true.

[spectre]

Hear, Hear, Eric!

I'll drink to that and toast all the suckerbees..

sw

[Eric Blair 2084]

Thank you sir and madame. Maybe the American people aren’t as dumb as some think they are. They rejected the snake oil salesman Huck.

Then again...they are falling in love with Obama who has accomplished nothing in his 30 months in the Senate and has no specific policy proposals....all he does is talk about “change” and give great speeches. Maybe they really are stupid.

[spectre]

Let's hope the Republicans recognize that the Huckster is short on policy and long on morals.

We need a Commander in chief, not a Pastor in Chief..

We ARE at war.

sw

[I Hired Craig Livingstone]

I have little “hope” for this upcoming election, but I do “hope” the American people will reject budget-busting socialism once it’s up in their faces. President Obama: In like a Kennedy, out like a Carter.

[The Ghost of Rudy McRomney]

Three cheers. I thank God this phony hypocrite ba$tard has had a stake driven through his political heart. My only fear now is that McPain would give him a cabinet position, should he win. But, IMO, McPain isn’t that stupid.

[The Ghost of Rudy McRomney]

And I knew in my gut that was your post before I was halfway through it. :^D

[The Ghost of Rudy McRomney]

Me, too.

[ovrtaxt]

lol Hilarious!
Do you have on for the McCainiacs?