One of the most interesting presidential candidates to watch at the moment is former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. Not too long ago, he was considered an also-ran, something which puzzled me. The combination of his likable personality and conservative Christian street cred should have made him particularly appealing to the evangelical wing of the GOP, but he hasn’t caught on until now. Huckabee is now rocketing towards the top of the Republican pack, both in Iowa and nationally.
Huckabee could be a formidable candidate for the Republicans. Many conservative Christians seem to view him as one of their own and he has that Southern good-ol’-boy charm that seems irresistible to so many American voters. But the presidency can’t be won solely on the backs of evangelicals and this is what could cause Huckabee difficulties. The anti-tax fanatics in the Republican party don’t look kindly on some of the tax hikes he implemented as governor. Huckabee needs to convince the big-business donors to open their wallets for him and this hasn’t happened yet.
Of all the Republican candidates, Huckabee strikes me as the most, well, daft. His proposal to enact a fair tax is deeply flawed and his denial of evolution, while predictable, demonstrates a kind of zealotry that has no place in the White House. The odds are still pretty good that Huckabee will flame out, but he shouldn’t be discounted yet.
