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(Photo: AP)
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Age: 51
Born: August 24, 1955; Hope, Ark.
Education: B.A., Ouachita Baptist University, 1975; Attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1976-77
Military: None
Family: Married (Janet), Three children
Hometown: Hope, Ark.
Religion: Baptist
Career: Governor, 1996-2007; Lieutenant Governor, 1993-96; President, Arkansas Baptist State Convention, 1989-91; television executive, 1983-92; Pastor, 1980-92
Huckabee was born and raised in Hope, Arkansas, the same town in which Bill Clinton was born.
In 1980, Huckabee entered the ministry, and spent the next 11 years as a Baptist pastor.
Huckabee ran for Senate in 1992 challenging Democratic incumbent Sen. Dale Bumpers. Huckabee lost, 60 percent to 40 percent.
In July 1996, Huckabee, then Arkansas Lt. Governor, assumed the office of Governor after the resignation of Gov. Jim Guy Tucker. Tucker was convicted in the Whitewater scandal.
Huckabee, who was overweight, was diagnosed with diabetes in 2003. This diagnosis led him to lose more than 100 lbs. through diet and exercise. In 2004, he started a Healthy Arkansas initiative to discourage poor eating habits and smoking. In November 2005, Time magazine named Huckabee one of the five best governors in the nation.
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