Huckabee: GOP Voters Still Want A Choice

Despite Losses In Potomac Primaries Tuesday, Huckabee Vows To Fight On

(AP)  Despite John McCain's sweep of the Potomac primaries Tuesday, Mike Huckabee said Republican voters still want to hear an alternative voice in deciding who should be the party's presidential nominee.

"There is still a sense in the Republican Party to have a choice," Huckabee said after a strong showing in Virginia, where he said he closed a broad gap between him and McCain.

"Just a few days ago, last Friday, a lot of the polls showed me behind by 30 points," the former Arkansas governor said in the lobby of a Little Rock bank after watching election returns. "Yesterday, we closed within 11 or 12. Maybe if we had a few more days we could have closed the gap all the way."

"When we don't win were disappointed but we're not knocked down," Huckabee said. "We did exceptionally well in the rural areas. I've never lived a day in that region; he spent the last 25 years there."

McCain defeated Huckabee in Virginia by a margin of 9 percentage points. McCain also won GOP primaries in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

The Arizona senator maintains a strong lead in the number of delegates. Huckabee is third in the delegate count, behind former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who suspended his campaign last week.

Huckabee noted again Tuesday that McCain still hasn't reached the 1,191 delegates necessary to clinch the nomination.

"That has not yet happened. We're still continuing the work," Huckabee said.

While McCain has a large lead, Huckabee said his continued presence in the race was not a drag on the party or its presumptive nominee. He said competition was good.

Huckabee said he had called McCain to congratulate him but that, in their conversation, McCain had not asked him to step aside and clear a way to the nomination.

[candy-apple]

Well, Mr. Huckabee may have shot himself in the foot with the people of Louisiana. It amazes me that the man would win the popular vote in the State and then turn around and call the system "goofy". Louisiana requires that a candidate win 50% fo the popular vote to be considered the overall winner. Huckabee took about 46% fo the populat vote and therefore was not awarded the Louisiana delegates. They will be up for grabs in March. Mr. Huckabee offending the people of Louisiana is no way to win over the delegates of the State. Open Mouth, Insert Foot!! Typical politician, things don''t go the way they want, WHINE to the press!!!

[puritan9]

All these fundamentalists of all religions are out of their minds. Hucka-bubba is obviously burning lots of money on campaign with no realistic point, and this is the guy who wants to be trusted with the future of our economy! No wonder the uneducated conservatives want him, this guy is a megalomaniac, a nut job!

[candide777]

Jesus: Mr. Huckabee have ye any loaves or fishes that I may feed the masses?

Huckabee: Will this flag pole fit up your ___? Get a job, you godless liberal!

[robyn241]

Huckebee should not be allowed to even be VP. He is a bigot and is religiouly intolerent. He is against Jewish people and Mormons and those he defines as not Christians which includes Catholics. He sets the country back 200 years. He would diffently not represent people fairly. He Mormon bashed in the primary''s. Mitt Romney should have stayed in. He had a PH.D in law and ecomonics his business is getting businesses, states etc. out of debt. Huckabee made the list of most correct politicians in 2007 in a DC based group.

[elkc]

It is interesting, a national poll out today shows that if a national election was held today with McCain, Huckabee, Obama and Clinton, to choose from...Obama would receive 41%, McCain & Clinton sharing a 21% vote nationally and Huckabee at less than 17%. The religious right would make up Huckabee''s base and only count for 17% of the vote, at best?

[byeneocons]

There are more important things in life than oil.

And who says they won''t get a hold of the Iraqi oil with senile McCain at the helm?

Geesh! You neocons should write science fiction instead of imprinting these bizarre spy novel plots onto Democrats.

[kem4uall]

As an international observer its funny how Americans critizise bush when they voted him in for 8 years probably bcos of the so called "experience".And now u have a chance to turn ur country around but vote for a war hungry veteran bcos he is experienced and when he starts another war wonder who you will blame this time.fool me once shame on you but foool me thrice shame shame shame on me.
the funny part is that somepple claim they have 35 years experience bcos they ran the kitchen section of the white house what a joke.

[vet999999]

Dems, you may very well get what you asked for in November. But consider the consequences of Al Q getting their hands on all that Iraqi oil and the money and power that it carries with it. The consequences of putting either clinton or obama in the white house will be severe.

[photomont]

well if Obama win''s the democrat nominee I want to change to Republican and If he win''s the presidentcy I want to leave the country

[downtowner97]

Being a candidate is like being a preacher. You run your mouth instead of actually doing anything, and people support you in a lavish lifestyle. Why would he quit? The longer he hangs on, the more his congregation will respect him, and the longer he can go without anyone expecting him to pick up the tab for anything.

Stay the course, Huck!!!

[gunshack1]

Go home huck. It''s over.

[oscarez]

HUCKABEE will not quit. Not as long as the money keeps rolling in. This guy has not had a real job his whole life.

[joyous88]

Yea, we have a choice,
between to lieing, evangelical nutbags, both sworn to
lie, cheat and steal their way into the White House,

just like the little clown that lives there now.

Insane McCain four more of the same

and hucksterbee for prayer in school and the bible for a contistution,, SOME CHOICE.

[jack3213]

HUCKABEE IS HISTORY_ (the guy is delusional and can''t do the math-lol) McCain WILL beat Obama or Clinton. Obama & Clinton have no experiance, are as phoney as all celebriies and all they do is make grand promises of change and illusions of big dreams that they think will make everyone happy. WRONG. Deal with what the issues are, stop hiding behind rose colored glasses for once. Be adult and be responsible for yourself. Obama or Clinton will not hold your hand, but raise taxes and make enormous mistakes. We don''''t need more mistakes, we need to finish the war correctly, we need not have our taxes raised, and we do not need socialism in this country. WAKE UP.

[cnfrisch-2009]

I really don%u2019t believe the Republicans, evangelicals, or America is willing to support a candidate (McCain) whose wife owns a beer distributorship. FYI, Cindy Hensley McCain is the Charirman of the Board of Hensley, Inc.:
http://www.abwholesaler.com/hensley/AboutUs/AboutUs

John McCain - A Pork Barrel on the Bridge to Nowhere:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeJb90ZmyRQ&NR=1

[quetzal0666]

he would sell off the white house to Fat Hagee Ministries and Co....

[byeneocons]

McCain won''t pick the Huckster. I''m betting he''ll choose Lieberman.

The headline is ironic. "Huckabee says voters want a choice!" (Except when it is their own womb.)

[culturechang]

THEY want a choice!! But after THEY get elected, THEY dont want YOU to have any choices on how to live YOUR life.

Lets hope McCain does not pick him for a running mate. I cant bear the thought of an aging McCain dying in office and leave Huck to pick Jimmy Swaggert for the Supreme Court. If that happens you can kiss rights most of your remaing civil liberties goodbye for a generation.