Ark. Gov. Huckabee Won't Run for Senate

AP (Yahoo) ^ | 8/27/03 | JAMES JEFFERSON, Associated Press Writer

[Koblenz]

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Gov. Mike Huckabee said Wednesday he would not challenge Sen. Blanche Lincoln next year, leaving Arkansas' Republicans without a high-profile Senate candidate for 2004.

Huckabee, in the first year of his second full four-year term, said he needed to concentrate on state issues, including a heated fight over efforts to improve Arkansas' public school system.

"I need to be focused on what's best for the children of Arkansas," Huckabee said in a news conference called on short notice.

Huckabee, 48, had been leaning against a run against Lincoln, D-Ark., but until Wednesday had not firmly ruled it out.

Lincoln, a former two-term congresswoman who is in her first term as a senator, said she looked forward to working with Huckabee on issues important to Arkansas.

"I respect Governor Huckabee's decision to continue serving Arkansas in his current position," she said in a statement from Washington.

With his wife, Janet, standing at his side, Huckabee said he did not want to leave the job he inherited from former Gov. Jim Guy Tucker in 1996.

"This is not the time to abandon the job that I have," Huckabee said.

He cited a recent newspaper poll showing him trailing Lincoln only slightly in a hypothetical race and said he feared winning the contest and having to commute to Washington weekly.

Huckabee suggested that Lt. Gov. Winthrop Paul Rockefeller run against Lincoln, but noted that Rockefeller has expressed no interest. "He's a strong candidate if he chooses to do it," the governor said.

Huckabee was lieutenant governor in 1996 when he aborted a front-running bid for the U.S. Senate and became governor when Tucker left because of his Whitewater convictions.

In his second full term, Huckabee will be prohibited from running for re-election as governor in 2006. He could have run for the Senate without giving up the governor's office.

[Kuksool]

If Breaux does decide to retire, I'd prefer Dale Brown to run for the open Senate seat than David Vitter.

[Pubbie]

"If Breaux does decide to retire, I'd prefer Dale Brown to run for the open Senate seat than David Vitter."

Why, does Vitter have skeleton's in his closet?

If he does I don't think it would hurt him much, Louisiana is sort of the New Jersey of the South ie No one is surprised about corruption in their politicians.

[Kuksool]

Dave Vitter was supposed to run for Governor this year. But for some unknown reason, he dropped out. Vitter said he needed to spend more time with his family. There are rumors that Vitter spends alot of time at the New Orleans brothels. I don't know if that's true. But, G-D help us if it is true.

[Pubbie]

He's got 1.1 million in campaign funds and is ready to go if Breaux hangs them up.

Why would he be willing to run for Senate in 2004 but not for Governor in 2004?

Maybe he decided against running for Governor because he heard that Breaux might retire and he'd prefer to be a Senator since it's a much easier job than Guv.

[Kuksool]

Perhaps. I just hope Vitter doesn't have any skeletons. An open LA Senate seat is no slam dunk for the GOP. Chris John would be the likely RAT candidate. I would rate a Vitter vs. John Senate contest as a toss-up.

[JohnnyZ]

Chris John would be the likely RAT candidate.

I dunno, I'd like to see Cleo jump in for the Dems :)

[Kuksool]

Let's see our score card so far. Our likely pickups are in FL, GA, SC, and NC. The longshots are in NV, WA, SD, WI, and maybe CA. Our vulnerable spots are PA, IL, and AK. A 1-3 Senate seat gain isn't significant. We need to gain as many Senate seats as possible to break the filibuster on judges.

[Coop]

I think trying to focus all the resources on the races deemed most winnable based on early polls would be a mistake. Chances are though that's what the RNC will do.

The RNC did just fine last year.

[Coop]

There are rumors that Vitter spends alot of time at the New Orleans brothels.

Locking up the hooker vote could swing New Orleans to the GOP column!

[Coop]

The GOP could "relatively easily" pick up NY if Rudy would change his mind.

[Coop]

Speaking of longshots, I wonder if a re-energized Maryland GOP with the resources of the governor's mansion can find a solid candidate to knock off Mikulski? Wouldn't that be sweet? I saw where she pulled 71% (ouch) in her last election, but she had a no-name opponent. Gov. Glendenning only took his race 55-45%.

Now don't ask me for a recommendation for someone to fit into this "solid" category. :-)

[BlackRazor]

Speaking of longshots, I wonder if a re-energized Maryland GOP with the resources of the governor's mansion can find a solid candidate to knock off Mikulski?

If Steele had decided to run, it might have made things interesting, but I can't think of anyone else who would be a credible candidate. A poll just came out on Wednesday giving Mikulski a 64% approval rating, so I really don't see this being a competitive race.

[Coop]

Well, well. Look who's back. :-) Gettin' warmed up for the Presidential primaries, are you? Glad to have you around to keep me updated. Most of my previously free poll sources now require payment, and I'm too cheap! LOL

[ken5050]

Ya know..since Wesley Clark hasn't announced if he's a GOP or a Dem, maybe he'd like to be a US Senator from Ark..

[JohnnyZ]

Ya know..since Wesley Clark hasn't announced if he's a GOP or a Dem, maybe he'd like to be a US Senator from Ark..

I can't believe you just said that.

Maybe Bill Clinton wants to run against Lincoln too!

[ken5050]

Jes funnin' a tad.....but I figure I might give a dem or two a bad case of angina..

[AuH2ORepublican]

"How strong would Jay Dickey be? He lost his congressional seat, but wasn't that the most dem part of the state?"

---

I think Dickey would be a terrible candidate. Sure, the 4th CD is traditionally Democratic, but Gore only carried it with 50.2% to Bush's 47.3% in 2000 (after redistricting, it may have narrowed to 50.1% for Gore to 47.4% for Bush), so its more marginal than Democratic. And Dickey didn't just lose the seat in 2000, he was shellacked by Ross when he tried to get the seat back last year. If he can't even carry his home turf in the 4th CD, how is he going to beat Lincoln statewide, with her greater name ID and huge margins in the 1st CD?

We need Asa Hutchinson to run. Did you know that the term "Ace" to describe a baseball team's #1 pitcher stems from the name of a star pitcher in the late 1860s, Asa Brainard? Similarly, Asa Hutchinson could be our ace-in-the-hole in the 2004 Arkansas Senate race.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"In Nevada there's apparently a Las Vegas Real Estate Mogul named [Jack] Woodcock who has said he might run.

---

Pubbie, while there are no set rules in politics, and every election is more surprising than the previous one, there is one thing you can take to the bank: Nobody with the name Jack Woodcock will ever get elected to the U.S. Senate from Arkansas. The Arkansas GOP nominating Jack Woodcock to run against Blanche Lincoln (who may be a RAT, but has a remarkably wholesome name)would be as foolish as the time the New Hampshire RATs ran Dick Swett against Senator Bob Smith. Smith won by only 2%, and you can bet that over 2% of voters who may have voted for the RAT refused to do so when they heard he was called Dick Swett. (If I was Smith, I would have run ads that said "Dick Swett Stinks! Vote for Bob Smith.")

[Pubbie]

I don't care what his name is, this guy is loaded with cash, and he has tons of political and financial connections in Las Vegas.

He could be pretty formidable, regardless of the unfortunate name.

PS: Are you sure Asa won't run in Arkansas, because I read off Google news today that Asa still hasn't changed his mind about making a race.

[JohnnyZ]

Nobody with the name Jack Woodcock will ever get elected to the U.S. Senate from Arkansas.

But he'd be a natural for Nevada, which is where he's running :)