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Brody File Analysis: Evangelical Food Fight: Mike Huckabee vs. Ted Cruz
CBN's The Brody File ^ | May 6, 2015 | David Brody, chief political correspondent

Posted on 05/06/2015 12:19:02 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Mike Huckabee is not the evangelical candidate. Oh sure, he’ll get a hefty amount of the evangelical vote even though there is a much more competitive field this time around. But if you think he’s a one-trick pony then you miss the larger story. The easy media narrative will be that Huckabee must appeal to evangelicals to do well. And there’s no denying that will be a part of his potential winning equation. But what Huckabee has that no other candidate possesses is an, “aw shucks,” bless your heart, southern charm. That will play well in the heartland of this country. It will play well with those “Reagan Democrats.” His populist, flag waving overtones and exceptional communication skills set him up as a candidate that can definitely win the nomination. What he really needs is the mother’s milk of politics: money. It was the famous philosopher Jerry Maguire who famously yelled, “Show me the money.” Well, Huckabee better start yelling.

As for the evangelical aspect, Huckabee and Ted Cruz are taking two totally different approaches. Huckabee is making sure (just like in 2008) that evangelicals know that he is actually one of them. He’s the ex-pastor who will be the one to show up at the Sunday church pot lot with the chicken casserole. He’s the regular guy at the Tuesday night Bible study. Ted Cruz is taking more of an intellectual, clinical approach. When you watch him in front of evangelical crowds, he says a lot of the same things as Huckabee but his method is different. He’s making the argument that he has fought issues near and dear to the hearts of evangelicals (marriage, religious liberty, abortion) in the courts, arguing these type cases for a living. Put more simply, Mike Huckabee is saying to evangelicals that he’s fighting the culture wars at Chick fil-A along with the people while Ted Cruz is saying he’s fighting for the people in front of judges. Both are equally compelling.

So who has the advantage between Cruz and Huckabee? Well, look; you have to give the nod to Huckabee at this point for two reasons. First of all, his likeability is through the roof and he’s been through the rigors of a presidential campaign before. He’s been vetted. Oh, and this small thing: He’s won Iowa before! That counts for something doesn’t it? As for Cruz, while he has a passionate following, he hasn’t been fully vetted by the media so he has more potential potholes ahead. Also, Cruz (rightly or wrongly) has been saddled with a reputation that he doesn’t compromise and is looked upon (fairly or unfairly) as someone who is a bit more of an angry conservative. Huckabee has a reputation as a happy warrior. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. Maybe evangelical voters are in the mood for some new blood and the “fire and brimstone” approach of Cruz. Or will they look at Huckabee and simply say, “bless his heart, I’ll vote for him again.”


TOPICS: Arkansas; Iowa; Kentucky; Texas; Campaign News; Issues; Parties
KEYWORDS: 2016election; arkansas; cruz; election2016; elmergantry; evangelicals; huckabee; huckster; mikehuckabee; paultardation; paultardnoisemachine; randpaulnoisemachine; randsconcerntrolls; tedcruz; texas
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What say you?
1 posted on 05/06/2015 12:19:02 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If Cruz emphasizes that Huckabee released criminals into society, raised taxes, and instituted nanny state programs, Cruz can beat him easily. Unlike some of the other GOP-e, the Chamber of Commies doesn’t like Huckabee.


2 posted on 05/06/2015 12:22:00 PM PDT by Objective Scrutator (All liberals are criminals, and all criminals are liberals)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
But what Huckabee has that no other candidate possesses is an, “aw shucks,” bless your heart, southern charm.

Senator Ted Cruz has much more Southern charm than any of the rest. Although born in Alberta, Cruz is a Texan by choice and has fully embraced all of the Texas values, including the very best of the Southern culture.

Go Ted go! Restore America's Biblical foundation!

3 posted on 05/06/2015 12:22:47 PM PDT by re_nortex (DP - that's what I like about Texas)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Huckabee’s purpose in the race is to harm Cruz.


4 posted on 05/06/2015 12:25:43 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

>> Mike Huckabee is not the evangelical candidate.

I have met Ted Cruz and talked a little Bible with him. He is the real deal when it comes to PRACTICING Christianity.

Huckabee is a poseur. He *uses* his faith as political currency. I find that disgusting.


5 posted on 05/06/2015 12:34:30 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (There is no "allah" but satan, and mohammed was his demon-possessed tool.)
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To: Nervous Tick
I have met Ted Cruz and talked a little Bible with him. He is the real deal when it comes to PRACTICING Christianity. Huckabee is a poseur. He *uses* his faith as political currency. I find that disgusting.

Ditto.

6 posted on 05/06/2015 12:37:42 PM PDT by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; C. Edmund Wright
I say that Brody wants this to be true (egged on by Karl Rove) ...

And there is no such 'food fight'; the only one who is throwing things is Schmuckabee/Rove. Ted Cruz has his sights on bigger things.

7 posted on 05/06/2015 12:38:51 PM PDT by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

For the life of me I cannot convince my pastor father that Hucbabee isn’t the right guy simply because he too is a pastor.

Both my parents got sucked into voting for Carter along the same reasons as Carter used to teach Sunday school.

Huckabee lives just two blocks from me. I’ve spent hours alone on the beach at night, just me and him BS’ing. Super nice guy, but I know better.

That and since I have to drive to and from work past his house really don’t want the hassle of dealing with presidential motorcades and such.


8 posted on 05/06/2015 12:42:04 PM PDT by diverteach (If I find liberals in heaven after my death.....I WILL BE PISSED!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If Huckabee were running for a leadership position within the Southern Baptist Convention, I’d consider supporting him; but he is not a limited government conservative. He ran and won in Arkansas as an anti-bill Clinton, but his record while in Arkansas should not impress the “Tea Party” wing of the GOP.


9 posted on 05/06/2015 12:58:24 PM PDT by VRWCmember
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To: Objective Scrutator

Cruz won’t have to say a single word about the Huckster - nor should he. Cruz is above it, and he should stay above it.

Cruz gets liberty voters, economics voters, national security voters, Constitutional voters - as well as the Evangelicals. Huckster only has support in the ignorant low information evangelical sector, period, and he can never get past that. In a huge field, he may make some noise, but only noise.


10 posted on 05/06/2015 1:06:37 PM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (www.FireKarlRove.com NOW)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Kale; Jarhead9297; COUNTrecount; notaliberal; DoughtyOne; MountainDad; ...
    Ted Cruz Ping!

    If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.
    Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

    CRUZ or LOSE!

11 posted on 05/06/2015 1:07:22 PM PDT by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
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To: Servant of the Cross

I’d be embarrassed to have such a poorly written, shallow analysis with my name on it. Then again, I’ve never done one like that.

Brody is a maroon....


12 posted on 05/06/2015 1:09:24 PM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (www.FireKarlRove.com NOW)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Glenn Beck was on the other morning pulling 2013 quotes from Huckabee strongly supportive of Common Core. But now he’s all against it. Not the sort of thing that will help him in the evangelical community. He never even made it on to my “maybe” list.


13 posted on 05/06/2015 1:19:12 PM PDT by Springfield Reformer (Winston Churchill: No Peace Till Victory!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I don’t care if Cruz is evangelical or not. I support him because he is a practicing conservative who stands by our Constitution and its principles. His strong faith is a bonus.


14 posted on 05/06/2015 1:21:18 PM PDT by goodwithagun (My gun has killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I say that this article is a barrel of garbanzo beans.


15 posted on 05/06/2015 1:22:06 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

What say you?
**************************************************************************************************

From an “evangelical” perspective, it’s Franklin Graham (Ted Cruz) versus Benny Hinn (Mike Huckabee).

Ted Cruz is the real deal.

Mike Huckabee, on the other hand, has fooled evangelicals just as Benny Hinn has. Huckabee is a fraud who Christians would be foolish to support. Huckabee is all about what’s good financially for Huckabee in the long term.


16 posted on 05/06/2015 1:23:23 PM PDT by House Atreides (CRUZ or lose!)
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To: trisham

I say the article is PRICELESS......it isn’t worth anything.


17 posted on 05/06/2015 1:25:39 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) (GOPe is that easy to read))
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To: stephenjohnbanker

We certainly agree on that!


18 posted on 05/06/2015 1:26:35 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"What say you? "

If the Bible belt gets in, we will have another Prohibition amendment!

19 posted on 05/06/2015 1:29:33 PM PDT by ex-snook (To conquer use Jesus, not bombs.)
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To: ex-snook

Yeah, and burning witches and banning dancing, too. LOL


20 posted on 05/06/2015 1:31:11 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (You can help: https://donate.tedcruz.org/c/FBTX0095/)
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