Posted on 02/07/2008 7:43:41 PM PST by Kurt Evans
Over the last 15 years, Mike Huckabee has improved and strengthened the Republican Party of Arkansas. From the time he was the U.S. Senate nominee in 1992 until he left the Governor’s office in 2007, Mike Huckabee was a powerful and influential figure in the Republican Party.
By understanding Huckabee’s 10 ½ years of leadership in the proper context, we can see that his leadership strengthened the party, elected Republican candidates, and helped shift the state government to a more conservative position.
We must have accurate historical context when reviewing the relationship between Huckabee and the state party. Huckabee’s election for lieutenant governor in 1993 became the GOP’s first statewide victory in over 10 years. His path to politics came from the private sector, outside the political arena, and led him to be just the fourth statewide Republican ever elected in the State of Arkansas.
Immediately, he brought credibility to the state party and a sense of tremendous excitement to the party faithful who were tired of fielding unsuccessful candidates. Huckabee became the titular head of the state GOP and began without hesitation to raise funds, headline dinners and support the GOP slate of candidates. No one has attended more Arkansas Lincoln Day dinners than Huckabee.
Huckabee’s 10 ½ years of leadership strengthened the Republican Party. Upon becoming Arkansas’ 44th Governor in 1996, Huckabee inherited a state that had been governed by Democratic governors for all but two of the previous thirty-six years. Democratic governors had appointed every member of appointed boards and commissions, and in addition, the 135 seat legislature had only 15 Republican members.
Huckabee stepped onto a stage that Republicans in Arkansas rarely walk on and governed in a difficult environment filled with partisan hostilities. In this environment, he passed conservative legislation, won statewide election in Arkansas four times, and maintained high approval ratings throughout the entire 10 ½ years as Governor.
Huckabee focused on governing to the best of his ability and fighting for the conservative values he espoused. As governor, Huckabee knew that to achieve any legislative success, the sheer numbers required him to reach across party lines. By doing so he scored extraordinary victories that state Republicans could have never achieved without his leadership. Legislatively he pushed through every possible pro-life bill allowable under Roe v. Wade, passed the first broad based tax cut in Arkansas’ history, and streamlined government. All of these were reforms championed by the state party.
Huckabee went on to reform education, refurbish the state’s crumbling infrastructure, improve life for the children of working families, and create new jobs. These results required both leadership and extraordinary political skills. Huckabee excelled at both. It was his compromise with Democrats in the Legislature on legislative details (not principles) that brought these changes about. Though a vocal minority in the Republican Party criticized Mike Huckabee’s willingness to reach across party lines, it was this willingness that allowed him to pass conservative legislation and allowed him to be an effective, forward-thinking governor.
Huckabee won statewide in Arkansas four times. This is more times than any other Republican in Arkansas history. His approval ratings stayed strong throughout the entire 10 ½ years as governor and he trounced any token opposition that arose in the GOP primary.
One legacy that is vital to the future of the Republican party of Arkansas is often overlooked. While governor he made thousands of appointments to state board and commissions.
When he left office in 2007 every single gubernatorial appointee was appointed by a Republican governor for the first time in Arkansas history. Republicans had never had a better seat at the table on these board and commissions.
These appointments put conservatives on every regulatory board in the state. Today, these appointments significantly impact the direction of state government and create a potential farm team for the party to draw from for future candidates for public office.
Huckabee tirelessly campaigned for his fellow party members. As the head of the state party Huckabee sent appeal letters, headlined events, and hosted receptions continually raising funds for the party. He did this for successful and unsuccessful candidates.
This is why he today enjoys the support of former U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson, former Congressman Asa Hutchinson and Jay Dickey as well as Mary Jane Rebick, Sheffield Nelson, Randy Bynum, Betty Dickey, Bud Cummins and, of course, current Congressman John Boozman.
These candidates stumped in town after town with Huckabee and saw his efforts firsthand. They also know that when Republicans lost elections, their governor did not forget about the wounded. Many of these listed and countless others received appointments to key boards and posts in state government upon their defeat in order to utilize their skills.
Huckabee’s efforts on behalf of GOP candidates did not stop with statewide candidates. Huckabee campaigned tirelessly in every cycle on behalf of Republican legislative candidates. He rarely receives credit in the media for these efforts but there are a host of current and past legislators that can attest to his faithful efforts on their behalf.
He raised funds, sent letters, headlined events and stumped for GOP candidates in every part of Arkansas. He also wrote tens of thousands of dollars worth of checks to these candidates from his political action committee, Conservative Leadership for Arkansas.
He campaigned with the same fervor for candidates who were likely to lose as well as those who were likely to win. He also worked for Republicans with whom he had previous disagreements.
In 2004, Mike Huckabee publicly campaigned for state Senator Jim Holt, in spite of their public disagreements at the State Capitol. This is the same Jim Holt being paid by Ron Paul to campaign against Huckabee. It was clear that he was not only a team player but the team captain.
In spite of accusations to the contrary, Mike Huckabee never worked on behalf of a Democrat over a Republican candidate. Huckabee did support conservative Democrats because it is a necessity to govern in Arkansas. He worked with many of them to create winning coalitions in the Legislature, but again, he never campaigned on behalf of a Democrat who had a Republican opponent.
His support of Democrats was limited to Democratic primaries and where conservative Democrats faced no GOP opposition in the general election. It is also important to note that these instances were few and far between.
There is no smoking gun to the accusation that Huckabee helped Democrats. No one will find a contribution, a letter of support, a story about a fundraiser or public appearance on behalf of a Democratic candidate that faced a Republican in the general election.
Come election season, Huckabee did not support Democrats, and Democratic machine did not support Huckabee. Democrats never thought Huckabee was on their team when it came to elections. They worked hard to defeat him and complained about his tireless efforts against them.
One example of this was Huckabee’s hard campaign efforts to defeat the Speaker of the House Bill Stovall in a tough uphill battle for challenger Chee Chee Tamburo. The truth of the matter is that every campaign season Huckabee fought hard for his party and most importantly for his principles.
In 1993, Huckabee took an oath of office to serve the people of Arkansas and he did this without regard to party affiliation. He understood that after the elections were over that the people expected Democrats and Republicans to work together.
They expected results and he intended to deliver those results. He governed on behalf of all Arkansans and made life in Arkansas better for everyone as a result. His record is one that Arkansans are proud of because he governed by his unwavering core principles and a commitment to service.
It is because of his commitment to service that he carried Arkansas from 1993 to 2006, and it is this same commitment that will help him carry Arkansas one more time in 2008.
Governor Huckabee on the issues:
http://mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.Home
Mike: It’s over. Deal with it.
“It’s over. Deal with it.”
Actually it isn’t over. That’s just the media lying again.
He gave us McCain for his own ambition. He is a weasel at best.
Is it legal to announce who your VP will be before tne nomination? If he would tap Hunter or Thompson, I think it would help him.
Believe all the lies you want to, but Mike Huckabee destroyed the budding conservative movement in my homestate and our state GOP is pretty much non-existent now.
I MIGHT vote for McCain - the jury is still out. I absolutely wouldn’t vote for McCain - Huckabee. Huckabee was Jimmy Carter on foreign policy and invidiously played religious identity politics. Despicable!
It’s scary, isn’t it? Seems like Huckabee’s went to all this effort to knock the Mormon Romney, and thus to get votes for himself, but by aiding his fellow flip-flopper John McCain, he has all but successfully handed the presidential nomination to McCain, who is as liberal as a Republican can be. Does your man Huckabee agree with the liberal stances of McCain? Well then, why has he helped McCain all this time by focusing his venom on Romney? We’re all going to lose, evangelicals and non-evangelicals alike, because of your friend Huckabee.
mmmmm he never called republicans shiites? he never called me a racist? he didn’t support special treatment for illegals, or set up the mexican xonsulate for $1.00 a year, he doesn’t run on condemning wall street, employers, and most important of all:
YOU KNOW HE WOULD BE RENTING THE LINCOLN BEDROOM FROM DAY ONE.... NO THANKS.
I see Dobson just endorsed Huck, the first time he’s endorsed anyone during primary season.
Weird year so far.
Disgrace-a-bee is still around?
That is not much comfort to me. Dobson is just another self serving power monger. Flame away.
That seems to be an awful lot of "former" officeholders in a state where Huckabee supposedly rebuilt the GOP.
Yep, I am sure the free media gravy train has been effectively been taken off the tracks.
Old Mike has served his purpose and they will be done with him.
I have driven on the roads built by political paybacks.
I have lived in Dallas under the bible belt buckle of the Southern Babtist.
Never will I vote for Huckabee. If that means voting for Ron Paul or that guy running down the street as a write in, I will do it.
There is no “Hope” from Arkansas.
I lived in Arkansas for 3 years during the Huckster’s reign.
He’s a backslidden Christian Socialist member of the Open Borders Lobby holding a “special” relationship with Amnesty supporting Tyson Foods.
The Arkansas State Budget increased 65% under the Huckster’s reign.
I’m never amazed though at how Conservatives can delude themselves into supporting traitors like the Huckster, one among many.
Zero statewide Republicans today. 1 Republican in Congress (down from half the delegation). Declining numbers in the legislature (down in the 20% range). This is absolute complete bovine scat. Huckster nearly killed the AR GOP and it will take years to recover from the damage.
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