Tampa, Fla. — Who was it that won Iowa again? Oh, yes, it was that pleasant Christian fellow. What ever happened to him?
Well, he’s still alive and well. His supporters show up to events in much greater numbers than Mitt Romney’s. They show greater enthusiasm than Romney’s supporters or those of John McCain.
Mike Huckabee told the crowd of 300 well wishers last night that he hadn’t expected so many people to show up for an event in an airport hangar at 9 P.M. “I’d underestimated the people of Florida,” he said. “And I think the national media has underestimated the wonderful people of Florida, too.”
Huckabee worked the crowd of young families, senior citizens, small-business owners, and homeschoolers like a seasoned performer, drawing cheers loud enough to be confused for the airplane engines that occasionally filled the background. The appearance, which stepped on President Bush’s final State of the Union address, gave the impression that Huckabee could have done much better here. All he can hope for now is the moral victory — a third-place finish ahead of Rudy Giuliani. In a nearby parallel universe, though, he is probably winning Florida right now.
An entire Republican-heavy section of the state — the northern panhandle — could have been created just so that Mike Huckabee would win Florida. He has also gained endorsements, not just from evangelical pastors, but from real Reagan conservatives throughout the state. House Speaker Marco Rubio is a Roman Catholic, in addition to being the first Cuban to head a state legislative body. His endorsement of Huckabee came as a big surprise to many in Florida’s GOP, and gave Huckabee at least one inroad into the Cuban community that dominate Dade County GOP politics.
Mike Haridopolos is a young state senator who will either run for Congress this year or become the senate president. He helped lead the successful conservative coup against the moderates who controlled the state senate in 2006. Known principally for his knowledge of economic issues — not necessarily for his Baptist faith — Haridopolos announced his endorsement of Huckabee shortly after John McCain’s victory in South Carolina.
“Legitimately, the guy is a good conservative,” said Haridopolos. He admitted that Huckabee had raised taxes in Arkansas, but he said that the governor understands economic issues as well as the other issues that matter most to conservatives. “Whether you like his past or not, he’s been a really straightforward guy. He signed the no-tax pledge. He is strongly pro-gun — more so than anyone left in this race. He is strongly pro-life.”
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