Mike Huckabee Moves Into Second Place Tie Nationally

Early last August I pointed out in A Compassionate Politician From Hope, Arkansas--Who Knew There Were Two? that Mike Huckabee was a candidate to watch. My observation was dismissed.

Today he cruised into a second place in the newest Gallup Poll. There is only one Republican candidate Democrats need to be concerned about--Mike Huckabee. He is a hard right social conservative, but he has a real compassionate streak. He knows how to handle himself better than any other Republican. He isn't tainted by the stench that permeates all of the inside the beltway Republicans. Huckabee can reach beyond the fraidy cat Republican vote that will limit Giuliani in the general.

The big time beltway reporters think Giuliani is helped by Huckabee's rise. They are wrong, as Giuliani has dropped Huckabee has been rising. Huck is going to knock Romney out of the race, but he is not doing Giuliani any favors. Giuliani would be well advised to throw his support in Iowa to Romney. Otherwise he could be facing a runaway freight train in South Carolina.

The only way for Republicans to win the 2008 election is to nominate a guy like Mike Huckabee. Otherwise they are toast. We Democrats need to begin planning to counter Huckabee now.