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Huckabee says he won't quit race despite Romney's endorsement of McCain Friday, Feb 15, 2008 By John Lyon Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said Thursday he remains committed to his presidential bid despite former rival Mitt Romney's endorsement of GOP front-runner John McCain. Romney made the endorsement Thursday at a news conference in Boston, with McCain standing at his side. Romney asked his national convention delegates to give their support to the Arizona senator. In a statement issued Thursday by his campaign, Huckabee indicated he was not ready to join the McCain bandwagon. "This goes to show there is a lot of 'me too' going on in the party. I just happen to be the leader of the 'not me' crowd," the former Arkansas governor said. "There are those from the Beltway and those of the party establishment who believe it's time for the Republican Party to pull together, but there are still a lot of voices that have not been heard," Huckabee said. "This election should be about choices and voices, and not a coronation. Until someone receives 1,191 delegates, the verdict is not in." Romney picked up 280 delegates in primaries and caucuses before announcing last week he was suspending his campaign, saying he did not want to forestall the launch of a national GOP campaign and make a Democratic victory in the general election more likely. McCain had collected 843 delegates prior to Thursday, and Huckabee had collected 242. The endorsement "may well seal the deal" for McCain, but Huckabee has no compelling reason to drop out at this point, said Janine Parry, a political science professor at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. "In some ways I have to say this serves Huckabee well," she said. "He likes to run as the dark horse, he likes to run as the scrapper. This just confirms his position." Huckabee has been "sticking it to some of the major economic conservatives, but they counted him out last summer. What does he care?" said Parry, a Democrat. Huckabee supporter Lu Hardin, president of the University of Central Arkansas, said he agrees with Huckabee's recent comment that competition serves the party well by bringing out the best in candidates. Hardin also said he would not be surprised if many of Romney's delegates choose to reject the former Massachusetts governor's request and support Huckabee instead. "Many of the voters voted for Mitt Romney because they believed he was a true conservative," he said. "Most political pundits concede that Gov. Huckabee's record is more conservative than that of Sen. McCain, so logically, many of the delegates might feel more comfortable with Gov. Huckabee than they would with Sen. McCain." Ron Fuller, Huckabee's chief fundraiser in past gubernatorial campaigns and current chairman of the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, would not say whether he believes Huckabee should drop out. It appears to be impossible at this point for Huckabee to reach McCain in delegates, but Huckabee has every right to be proud of the showing he's made, Fuller said. "I think Gov. Huckabee made a gallant effort and certainly did a great deal with very little," he said. "Like everybody, I was amazed at how well he did." Louisiana will hold a state convention Saturday in which 44 of the state's 47 GOP delegates are at stake. Wisconsin voters will vote in a primary Tuesday with 40 GOP delegates at stake. |
