NPR: Huckabee Goes After Evangelical Vote in Iowa

Huckabee Goes After Evangelical Vote in Iowa

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is riding a wave in Iowa. Recent polls show the former Arkansas governor moving within striking distance of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Now Huckabee is going hard after a group of voters that has given Romney a less-than-enthusiastic reception: evangelicals.

Huckabee's new TV ad in Iowa doesn't beat around the bush about his Christian beliefs. "Faith doesn't just influence me, it really defines me," he says at the beginning. He talks about being anti-abortion and says he doesn't have to wake up wondering what his principles should be (a knock at Romney's changing positions) as the words "Christian leader" appear on the screen.

In a close race, the strong support of evangelical voters could give Huckabee an edge. But he seems to be having problems turning his recent surge in the polls into campaign cash, Campaigns and Elections reports. "He continues to be low on funds," said Bruce Ransom, a Clemson University political science professor. "For this reason, his campaign has been slow to gain traction and give him the footing he needs to move up in the polls."

4:06 PM ET | 11-26-2007 | permalink

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As a Christian, the rationale that some in the Christian Right are using for why they will support Huckabee instead of Mitt absolutely baffles and shocks me. It defies expression and belief that some on the Christian Right would trade a very fine man, who shares and lives all their values, who possesses (far and away) a superior skill set, with credentials unequaled by any GOP candidate in years (maybe decades) who will support everything the Christian Right wants its President to support for a man with far inferior credentials - solely on the fear that Mormonism might somehow be legitimized. That's absurd!!

In Romney, we could have a man of faith leading the country with the problem-solving capacity, the team-building talent, the diplomatic suavity, the traditional values, the leadership, the innovativeness, the vision, the optimism and the ability to communicate all these things in an eloquent and persuasive way, or we could have a tax-raising ex-preacher with the occasional pithy and charming witticisms but little else.

If Huckabee gets the nomination b/c of this, I fear my confidence may be forever shaken that the Christian Right can be trusted to make rationale or even faith based decisions.

I also fear, in the end, that a vote for Huckabee is a vote for Giuliani. Huckabee's a funny and charming guy, but it's highly doubtful he can win the national election and people outside of Iowa can see it clear as day.

Sent by Steven Carrel | 3:10 AM ET | 12-06-2007

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