Posted on 01/16/2014 10:05:54 AM PST by cotton1706
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) is endorsing Baptist Minister Mark Harris (R) in North Carolina's Senate race, giving him a boost against the GOP establishment's preferred candidate.
State House Speaker Thom Tillis (R) is the preferred candidate of establishment Republicans, but Harris hopes to consolidate social conservative support in the GOP primary, and Huckabee's endorsement is his highest nod to date.
The former presidential candidate, fellow Baptist minister and social conservative leader praised Harris, who led the fight to ban gay marriage in North Carolina, as a "true conservative" in the race.
The endorsement further boosts the chances that Tillis will have a tough fight for the GOP nomination, potentially hurting Republicans' efforts to defeat Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), a top GOP target. Republicans have hoped that Tillis can avoid a tough primary and win the race without having to compete in a runoff election for the nomination.
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Hagan is viewed as highly vulnerable in the race, but a messy GOP primary could boost her chances at reelection. Huckabee seemed to take a veiled shot at Tillis, who has so far struggled to unite North Carolina Republicans behind his campaign. Greg Brannon, a Tea Party favorite who has the endorsement of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), is also in the race, as are three other candidates.
"As previous campaigns have shown in North Carolina, you can't select a candidate that divides people, you must select the candidate that unites people," Huckabee said in the statement released by Harris's campaign. "Mark is the only candidate who has the lifelong experience as a public servant that has helped guide people from all walks of life through every problem you can imagine."
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Huckabee would never endorse Brannon, and really can’t endorse Tillis, since he got heavily stung by “endorsing” Lindsey Graham in neighboring South Carolina.
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Who really cares who that fat a** hillbilly endorses?
I wish it was a 50% requirement or run-off like we have in Texas. Any incumbent can get 40%. I know this is NC we’re talking about, but what does one have to get in SOUTH CAROLINA to avoid a run-off? Anybody know?
Din,
The incumbent is a Democrat (Kay Hagan). The 40% figure to avoid a runoff applies to the Republican primary where there are a number of challengers. We want to make sure the GOPe horse in the race is kept below 40% so he can be defeated in the Republican run-off to select Hagan’s challenger.
In South Carolina, Little Lindsey Graham must be kept below 50% in the Republican primary to avoid a run-off. Hopefully he won’t make it.
It was Mike Huckabee and Michelle Bachmann both endorsing Akin, Palin and the tea party were against him.
“...Little Lindsey Graham must be kept below 50% in the Republican primary to FORCE a run-off....”
Error corrected in caps.
“It was Mike Huckabee and Michelle Bachmann both endorsing Akin, Palin and the tea party were against him.”
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Yes, Sarah Palin endorsed Sarah Steelman in that primary race instead of Akin. If Steelman had won the primary, she’d be SENATOR Steelman now helping out Ted Cruz.
“Yes, Sarah Palin endorsed Sarah Steelman in that primary race instead of Akin. If Steelman had won the primary, shed be SENATOR Steelman now helping out Ted Cruz.”
And also, with Steelman as the nominee in Missouri, there wouldn’t have been any silly rape question for either the Missouri nominee OR the Indiana nominee and SENATOR Mourdock would be helping Steelman and Cruz.
But we can argue about this stuff forever. The media with the help of the republican establishment will do whatever it takes to destroy conservatives. But moderates like McCain, Romney, Dole and the Bush family can come back over and over.
huckster is a paid vote splitter.
essentially a caucasian jessie jackson for the evagelical sucker crowd.
“...And also, with Steelman as the nominee in Missouri, there wouldnt have been any silly rape question for either the Missouri nominee OR the Indiana nominee and SENATOR Mourdock would be helping Steelman and Cruz....”
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Oh yeah, I had forgotten that Mourdock became a “copy-cat” moron doing his version of Akin’s idiocy. I somehow think the Senate Conservatives Fund this cycle is doing some informal training (e.g., how not to fall for the media’s entrapment tricks and how to avoid sticking your foot in your mouth) of potential endorsees before formally endorsing them.
yea tell that to the Mo. republicans that supported that fool Akin - he got hucks endorsement. Everyone forgets how liberal huck was as the gov of Ak - just after Klinton.
Huckster is a damnable phony .do any Freepers still fall for his flapdoodle?
Cross?! This is not a cross!!! What are you talking about?!!
(but ... if you like a politician who's part Jimmy Swaggart and part Jim Nabors, it's a cross!
Yes, unlike most states though the threshold is not 50% (plus 1) but 40%. If any candidate tops 40%, then no runoff.
Primary runoffs in southern states are a vestige of the time when RAT primaries decided all winners. I wish every state had them. I think maybe 45% would be ideal, few candidates that top that but come in under 50% fail to easily win the ensuing runoff. 40% could still let a RINO win a divided field.
Anyway are we sure Tillis is that bad? I’ve seen at least one freeper say he’s not (and question Brannon’s Paul ties) despite being the choice of the dreaded establishment. What taxes did he raise that I keep hearing about?
It was mainly toll roads and river tolls etc that Tillis was involved in. He was also embroiled in some scandal that ended up with him getting censured by the local GOP, and in addition he played corporatism with some telecoms companies in the state.
The guy is bad, and the big red flag is Rove’s early involvement to try and boost Tillis. Go listen to some of Brannon’s speeches. The man is cast-iron.
Hmm, Dewcrist almost got 45% (44.67%) in Texas, I guess 50% is best.
Bang on. I hope Missouri conservatives never make this mistake again. Akin was a deathtrap waiting to spring, which is why McCatskull funded him. I don’t have a doubt that had that whole ordeal not happened, Mourdock and Steelman would be senators.
Tillis is decidedly weaker than Dewhurst. Mainly because Dewhurst was reasonably popular in the state even with conservatives. Tillis has no such good marks from the people of NC.
I’d also guess Dewhurst had a lot more personal wealth to use in the campaign. Tillis needs Rove’s bucks.
Well it looks like a huge undecided vote in the race and a badly divided field so I don’t think anyone will get 40%.
Recent PPP poll has Tillis in front with just 19%, Brannon and some lady named Heather Grant tied with 11% in 2nd place, Huck’s boy with 8% and some guy named Bill Flynn with 7% (several minor candidates getting even less than that)
Anyone have a take on Grant or Flynn? Grant is nurse and Flynn a radio guy. Given how much support Brannon and Harris have I’m surprised to see this Grant lady tied for 2nd.
I question the poll’s accuracy. A straw poll in one particular county recently had Tillis at about 2%. The man doesn’t campaign, he just fundraises with Rove. Meanwhile Brannon has criss-crossed the state, working his butt off.
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