Huckabee, Sleeper Candidate?

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Wednesday September 12, 2007 · 8:48 PM PDT

2007/09/12 · 20:48

Recently, David Sirota recently warned of the evolving populist streak of Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. As the primary campaign carries on, Huckabee continues to strike a populist cord.

Indeed, Huckabee was recently endorsed by a union. He and Hillary Clinton jointly won the endorsement of The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. And, today, The Hill is reporting Huckabee "is said to be trying to schedule a "walk a day in my shoes" event sponsored by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)."

This is an interesting and unexpected twist in the Republican primary campaign. In addition to his overtures to labor,Huckabee was one of only two presidential contenders to address the AARP at their national convention in Boston last week. Hillary Clinton was the other. Huckabee remarked on the oddity of a Republican at an AARP convention, saying "a Republican at an AARP convention was like Michael Vick at the Westminster dog show." Huckbee also "signed the AARP "Divided We Fall" pact, by which he committed to supporting retirement benefits and expanded health coverage."

Huckabee recently characterized his populist persona, claiming, "I'm not a Wall Street Republican, I'm a Main Street Republican." The former baptist minister is also capitalizing on "the increasing evangelical desire to reach beyond social issues and address the moral implications of poverty and environmental degradation." It's unclear if economic conservatives will support Huckabee, though he does back a so-called Fair Tax. Still, I would not underestimate the power of Huckabee's positioning given that there are so many in the Republican field, with no clear standardbeared. If the field were to stay this muddled, Huckabee just might pick up enough voters to secure the nomination.

UPDATE: I PERSONALLY, LIKE SIROTA, DO NOT BUY HUCKABEE'S POPULIST POSTURE, I JUST FIND IT AN INTERESTING APPROACH TO THE REPUBLICAN NOM. IN A YEAR THAT HAS NO PRESUMPTIVE WINNER. I THINK HUCKABEE WOULD BE A DISASTER IN A GE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, MOST ESPECIALLY, HE'S A CREATIONIST WACKADOO.

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