Posted By James Besser
Jewish Dems, Thinking Ahead, Slam Huckabee / James Besser in Washington
Some political analysts say former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is the man to watch as a slew of contenders for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination fight for support from the important evangelical wing of the party.
Apparently the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) agrees; this week the partisan group leveled a broadside against the former Baptist preacher.
According to NJDC leader Ira Forman, Huckabee is “way out of the mainstream,” which is why he may be emerging as the “new favorite candidate” of the religious right.
Polls show Huckabee running well behind the GOP frontrunners, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
But both have problems with Christian conservatives – Giuliani because of his past support for abortion and gay rights, Romney because of his Mormon faith. The affable Huckabee is expected to do well with that segment, especially if a strong finish in the early Iowa caucuses convinces GOP big givers to shift their giving to his campaign.
Huckabee’s appeal to Jewish Republicans is hard to gauge, especially since he did not attend last week’s presidential forum held by the Republican Jewish Coalition, where Giuliani was the clear favorite.
Despite his dark horse status, NJDC may be worried about Huckabee for another reason: his support for Christian right “values agenda” issues is mixed with what John Fund, writing in Friday’s Wall Street Journal, called his “liberal-populist on some economic issues.”
That, some analysts say, could prove an effective mix if Huckabee manages to overcome the long odds and win the GOP nomination.