America Likes Mike

by John Morris

Like a phoenix, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has exploded from the ashes of obscurity, and soared into the sunlit heavens of national awareness. Largely overlooked by the media just weeks ago, Mike Huckabee has become this campaign cycle's most exciting story.

A recent Zogby survey found that Huckabee would beat Hillary by a wider margin than any of the other leading Republican candidates if the general election were held today.

Huckabee is shining with equal strength at the state level. Rasmussen now shows he's FIRST IN IOWA. He's SECOND IN TEXAS, he's SECOND IN FLORIDA, and his numbers are climbing elsewhere.

Huckabee has done this with relatively little money, and limited previous name recognition. Romney has outspent him in Iowa by at least 1000%, and still can't keep Huckabee off his heels. Fred Thompson has all the fame and notoriety a fella could ask for, but finds his ride to the White House stalling on the shoulder while Huckabee blazes by in the passing lane. What's up? (besides Huckabee's poll numbers, that is)

America likes Mike. They like his message, they like his manner, they like the man. For all his faults and failings, he seems to be a pretty nice guy who genuinely stands for things that most Americans still cherish: faith, family, life, and liberty. And more than just stand for them, he can communicate them! "Finally," many conservatives are saying to themselves, "a Republican candidate who has convictions, and who can speak intelligently and persuasively about them."

It's true, the jury is still out on what will become of Mike Huckabee's run for the presidency. The next few weeks will likely be very telling. But all indications, right now, are that this dark horse is a force to be reckoned with, and may just be the candidate that conservatives have been hoping for.

Huckabee has experienced a surge in support after each of the recent televised debates. He hopes the same will happen after tonight. If he performs as well as he has in the past, it likely will. Check him out tonight on the CNN/YouTube Debate, and let me know what you think.