What do you attribute Gov. Mike Huckerbee's surge in the Iowa polls to...?

Question

I have my own theory but I am curious as to what yours is...?

Answer 1

He is a much slyer politician than I gave him credit for. When he said to Iowans, "I don't really know, but don't Mormons believe that Satan and God are brothers". On the one hand he is saying he doesn't know and putting it like a question so as not to be accused of mud slinging. And on the other hand he is putting that thought out there for all the believers and Christians in Iowa Bible Belt country to ponder on. I bet he's a better politician than he is Southern Baptist Minister.

Edit: scredawg-Are you nuts? He is soooooo not like Bush. Liberals would rather run against Giuliani as anyone. He has the most bagage for political fodder in a General Election.

Edit: Jessica pretty much summed it up in one word.

Answer 2

The fact that Mitt Romney was the frontrunner there.

Iowans are looking for a conservative with chops. Romney was their alternative to Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Neither of them participated in the straw poll, which allowed Mike Huckabee to come in second, which automatically made it a Romney/Huckabee race.

Evangelicals there supported Romney, though they were never happy about electing a "Mormon". It took a while, but Huckabee was finally able to convince them that he was just as competent as Romney, which gave them just the chance they were looking for to anoint a new candidate.

The resulting media buzz about a "third seat" overtaking a frontrunner allowed Huckabee to garner national attention and "credibility" as the dark horse people have been talking about for months. The way that Fred Thompson sizzled then fizzled also allowed Huckabee a lucky shot with nationally disappointed conservatives and evangelicals. That's just lucky timing, there.

If there had been anyone else in Iowa to compete with, or if Thompson had mounted any kind of serious campaign, then Huckabee wouldn't have had half a chance. He'd still be in the single digits. That's politics.

Answer 3

Have you ever wondered how stuupid shows and talk shows and stuff like that get such high ratings? i have too. The rating services must be paid to give some of these crummy shows high ratings. Then again when in texas i got some of the ratings things and filled them out and the next athing i knew the ones I listened to were number 1. Yes and the stations were so excited about it (radio). So I have seen polls on here by conservatives and liberals and they are big time different.

Now to your questin, I have no idea, unless he is taking away from the front runners. Take care.

Answer 4

He is a "feel good" candidate. It indicates the voters
dissatisfaction with the other so-called top tier candidates,
all of whom are declining in the polls. There will be other
candidates emerging from the so-cal bottom tier to surge
in Iowa, despite the media ignoring them. Watch for Ron
Paul and Tom Tancredo to beat some of the "superstars",
like Guiliani, Thompson and McCain. Wanna put some
money on McCain vs Paul. Bring it on!!!!

Answer 5

The religious right wing of the party is re-asserting is control. The Republicans are too ideological to accept someone with liberal social views like Giuliani. If they don't get a sunday school teacher like Huck for Prez, they'll just stay home.

Answer 6

He peforms extremely well in debates, he has the backing of the Christian-vote inside the party, and he's also capitalized on some serious blunders by the other candidates.

Answer 7

because thompson and mccain supporters jumped ship. notice how there numbers have gone down and huckabee's has surged. not much thinking is required to figure that one out.

Answer 8

He's the lesser of (4) evils. (Romney, Guiliani, McCain, Thompson,).

Answer 9

I think a lot of people think he is honest and will do goo
for our country.

Answer 10

Ignorance