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Mike Huckabee
Michael Dale "Mike" Huckabee (born August 24, 1955, in Hope, Ark.) served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996-2007 and was a 2008 Republican candidate for United States President.[1] During the Republican primaries, Huckabee won seven states, including the Iowa caucuses, finishing second in delegate count and third in the popular vote. [2][3]. After some speculation, he announced that he would not seek the Republican nomination for President in 2012. Instead, he became the host of the Fox News Channel talk show Huckabee. He remained the show's host until stepping down in January 2015 to consider a second run for the presidency.[4]
On May 5, 2015, Huckabee officially announced that he was running as a Republican presidential candidate in 2016.[5] He suspended his campaign on February 1, 2016.[6]
In addition to his political career, Huckabee is a public speaker, a musician, and the author of a number of best-selling books.
Biography
Mike Huckabee was born and raised in Hope, Ark. After majoring in religion at Ouachita Baptist University, he worked as the director of communications for Evangelist James Robison. From 1980-1992 he served as an ordained Southern Baptist minister in Arkansas.[7]
In 1992, Huckabee turned his attention to politics, running unsuccessfully for United States Senator. [7] The following year, he ran for Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas in a special election and won. Huckabee served as lieutenant governor from 1993-1996 until then-Governor Jim Guy Tucker resigned. [8] Huckabee was sworn in as Governor of Arkansas in 1996, and remained in that post until 2007 when he was term limited. Upon leaving office, Huckabee was the third-longest serving governor in Arkansas history.[8] During his tenure, he served as chairman of the National Governors Association from 2005 to 2006.[8]
Education
- Attended, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1976-1977
- B.A., religion, Ouachita Baptist University, 1975 [9]
Presidential preference
2016 presidential endorsement
✓ Huckabee endorsed Donald Trump for the Republican primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[10]
- See also: Endorsements for Donald Trump
| 2016 Presidential Endorsements by Former Presidential Candidates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Candidate | Date | Source |
 Carly Fiorina |
Ted Cruz (primary) |
March 2016 | Politico |
| Ted Cruz |
Donald Trump |
September 2016 | CNN |
| Jim Gilmore |
Donald Trump |
September 2016 | Politico |
 Bernie Sanders |
 Hillary Clinton |
July 2016 | CNN |
| Martin O'Malley |
Hillary Clinton |
June 2016 | |
| Rick Santorum |
Donald Trump |
May 2016 | Reuters |
| Mike Huckabee |
Donald Trump |
May 2016 | |
| Rick Perry |
Donald Trump |
May 2016 | CNN |
| George Pataki |
John Kasich |
April 2016 | ABC News |
| Jeb Bush |
Ted Cruz |
March 2016 | Politico |
| Ben Carson |
Donald Trump |
March 2016 | Politico |
| Carly Fiorina |
Ted Cruz |
March 2016 | Politico |
| Bobby Jindal |
Marco Rubio |
February 2016 | Tampa Bay Times |
| Lindsey Graham |
Jeb Bush |
January 2016 | NBC News |
Political career
Arkansas Governor (1996-2007)
Huckabee was the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007.[11][12] He first became governor in 1996 when Gov. Jim Guy Tucker (D) resigned mid-term. As the state's lieutenant governor, Huckabee was first in line to succeed Tucker. Huckabee went on to win two full, four-year terms in the governor's office in 1998 and 2002.
During his tenure as governor, Huckabee was particularly focused on improving his state's health care systems. During his first term, he oversaw the creation of a health insurance program for children, entitled ARKids First, which expanded access to low-income youth. During his second term, he began a program called "Healthy Arkansas" to encourage Arkansans to pursue healthier lifestyles.[9] Huckabee also focused on education during his time in office, spearheading "Smart Start" and "Smart Step" initiatives aimed at improving reading and math skill among Arkansans children.[7] He was barred by term limits from running again in 2006.[8]
National Recognition
2005 Public Officials of the Year
Each year since 1994, the magazine Governing has selected a handful of state and local officials to honor for standout job performance. The Public Officials of the Year program "recognizes leaders from state, city and county government who exemplify the ideals of public service."[13] In 2005, while serving as Governor of Arkansas, Governing magazine named Huckabee as one of eight "Public Officials of the Year" for his efforts advocating "compassionate conservatism."[14] Other honorees included Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Florida Senator Paula Dockery.
TIME Magazine Top 5 Governors
In 2005, TIME magazine listed Huckabee as one of the five best governors of the year, calling him a "mature consensus-building conservative."[15]
In the News
Wayne Dumont
During the 2008 presidential elections, Gov. Huckabee faced renewed scrutiny over his alleged handling of rape case during his time as governor. In 1985, Wayne Dumont had been convicted of rape in Arkansas. Shortly before the trial, Dumont was assaulted in his home. After his conviction, then-governor Jim Guy Tucker reduced Dumont's sentence from life in prison plus 20 years down to 39 1/2 years. At the beginning of his tenure, Gov. Huckabee wrote a letter to Dumont expressing that his "desire was that [Dumont] be released from prison."[16] In the same letter, Huckabee encouraged him to apply for parole. Huckabee felt that Dumont had been treated unfairly, and that his alleged religious conviction should be taken into account. After allegedly being pressured by Gov. Huckabee to grant Dumont parole, the Arkansas parole board voted 4-1 to commute Dumont's sentence.[17] In 1999, Dumont was released from prison after applying for parole and relocated to Missouri. Shortly after his release, Dumont was arrested and convicted of killing a woman named Carol Shields.[16] When asked about his role in the parole hearing, Huckabee denied any improper behavior. At least three of the five board members disputed this.[18]
Janet Huckabee's 2002 election
During Gov. Huckabee's re-election campaign in 2002, his wife, Janet Huckabee, ran for Arkansas Secretary of State. Some in the state argued that it was improper for a married couple to hold two statewide offices simultaneously. Governor Huckabee won re-election; his wife lost her bid for secretary of state.[7]
Arkansas Lieutenant Governor (1993-1996)
In 1992, then-governor Bill Clinton was elected President of the United States, leaving the seat of Governor of Arkansas vacant. Per the Arkansas Constitution, then-lieutenant governor Jim Guy Tucker assumed the governorship, leaving a vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. Huckabee won the special election for the seat and served as lieutenant governor from 1993 to 1996. His term as lieutenant governor was cut short in 1996 when Gov. Jim Guy Tucker resigned, requiring Huckabee to assume the position of governor.[7]
Elections
2016
Huckabee was a Republican candidate for the office of president of the United States in 2016. He officially announced his presidential run in his hometown of Hope, Ark., on May 5, 2015. After describing his early life in the town, he declared, "So it seems perfectly fitting that it would be here that I announce that I am a candidate for president of the United States of America."[19] Since his 2008 bid for the presidency, Huckabee's popularity has grown due to his Fox News talk show Huckabee and the founding of the HuckPAC, which provides funding to key congressional campaigns across the country.[20] Seventeen governors have served as president.[21]
Huckabee suspended his campaign on February 1, 2016.[6]
| Governors Who Ran for President in 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | State | Office tenure | Announcement |
| Mike Huckabee |  Republican |
Arkansas | 1996 - 2007 | May 5, 2015 |
| George Pataki | Republican |
New York | 1995 - 2007 | May 28, 2015 |
| Martin O'Malley |  Democratic |
Maryland | 2007 - 2015 | May 30, 2015 |
| Lincoln Chafee | Democratic |
Rhode Island | 2011 - 2013 | June 3, 2015 |
| Rick Perry | Republican |
Texas | 2000 - 2015 | June 4, 2015 |
| Jeb Bush | Republican |
Florida | 1999 - 2007 | June 15, 2015 |
| Bobby Jindal | Republican |
Louisiana | 2008 - 2016 | June 24, 2015 |
| Chris Christie | Republican |
New Jersey | 2010 - 2018 | June 30, 2015 |
| Scott Walker | Republican |
Wisconsin | 2011 - Present | July 13, 2015 |
- See the whole 2016 Presidential election field here.
2008
Huckabee had faced questions about a possible run for President in 2008 even while he was still governor.[15] On January 28, 2007, Gov. Huckabee announced his candidacy for president of the United States. [22]. His principle rivals were John McCain (the eventual nominee) and Mitt Romney. Despite initially low fundraising and polling numbers, Huckabee's campaign gained significant attention when the former governor won the Iowa caucuses in January, 2008,[23] earning roughly 34% of the vote, compared to 25% for Mitt Romney and only 13% for John McCain. Huckabee's victory was largely attributed to his popularity among Evangelical Christian voters.[23]
After Iowa, Huckabee went on to win six other states in the Republican primary contests (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Kansas, Tennessee, and his home state of Arkansas)*, earning a total of 240 pledged delegates.[24][2] However, this was ultimately insufficient to propel him to victory. On March 4, 2008 Huckabee conceded the Republican primary contest to John McCain, after the latter had secured the number of delegates necessary to win the Republican Party's nomination.[25] At the time of the Republican National Convention, Huckabee had finished second place in terms of pledged delegates and had received the third highest number of votes by Republican primary goers, after McCain and Romney.[24][2]
- Huckabee also won the West Virginia caucuses on Feb. 5, but lost the West Virginia primaries held on May 13 to John McCain[24]
| Candidate | Popular Vote Total |
|---|---|
 John McCain
|
9,902,797 |
| Mitt Romney | 4,699,788 |
| Mike Huckabee | 4,276,046 |
| Ron Paul | 1,160,403 |
2002
Huckabee won re-election as governor on November 5, 2002.
| Governor of Arkansas, 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Mike Huckabee |
53% | 427,082 | |
| Democratic | Jimmie Lou Fischer | 46.9% | 378,250 | |
| Other | Write-ins | 0% | 364 | |
| Total Votes | 805,696 | |||
| Election results via Arkansas Secretary of State | ||||
1998
After completing Gov. Jim Guy Tucker's term, Huckabee won his first full term as governor in 1998.
| Governor of Arkansas, 1998 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Mike Huckabee |
59.8% | 421,989 | |
| Democratic | Bill Bristow | 38.7% | 272,923 | |
| Reform | Keith Carle | 1.6% | 11,099 | |
| Total Votes | 706,011 | |||
| Election results via Arkansas Secretary of State | ||||
1993
In a special election held on July 27, 1993, Huckabee won his first general election to fill the position of Lieutenant Governor left vacant when Jim Guy Tucker became governor.
| Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, 1993 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Mike Huckabee |
50.9% | 151,502 | |
| Democratic | Nate Coulter | 49.1% | 146,436 | |
| Total Votes | 297,938 | |||
| Election results via Our Campaigns | ||||
1992
In 1992, Huckabee unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Dale Bumpers (D) for his US Senate seat. This was Huckabee's first statewide general election.
| US Senate from Arkansas, 1992 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Dale Bumpers |
60.2% | 553,635 | |
| Republican | Mike Huckabee | 39.8% | 366,373 | |
| Total Votes | 920,008 | |||
| Election results via Our Campaigns | ||||
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Huckabee and his wife, Janet Huckabee, have three children together. Their daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, began serving as Gov. Huckabee's 2016 presidential campaign manager in 2015.[8]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Mike Huckabee Arkansas. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Arkansas | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
- Governor of Arkansas
- Presidential election, 2016
- Mike Huckabee presidential campaign, 2016
- Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ ABC News, "Mike Huckabee Leaves Fox News as He Weighs 2016 Bid," accessed February 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The New York Times, "Election Guide 2008, Republican map," accessed July 16, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Election Guide 2008, Primary Season Election Results," accessed July 16, 2015
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Fox Contributor," June 12, 2008
- ↑ The New York Times, "Mike Huckabee Joins Republican Presidential Race," May 5, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 USA Today, "Huckabee ends GOP presidential bid," February 1, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Encyclopedia of Arkansas, "Mike Huckabee (1955-)," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 National Governors Association, "Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee," accessed July 8, 2015
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Ouachita Baptist University, "Mike Huckabee Biography," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ Twitter, "Mike Huckabee on May 4, 2016," accessed May 17, 2016
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Fox Contributor," June 12, 2008
- ↑ ABC News, "Mike Huckabee Leaves Fox News as He Weighs 2016 Bid," accessed February 18, 2015
- ↑ Governing, "GOVERNING Announces 2012 Public Officials of the Year," October 19, 2012
- ↑ Alan Greenblatt, Governing, "Trim Waist, Hefty Record," 2005
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 TIME, "Here is the 'Best Governors' List the Huckabee Campaign Launch Cited," accessed July 21, 2015.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 LA Times, "Parole Officials: Huckabee pushed rapist's release," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ Arkansas Times, "Web Special: Dumont Case Revisited," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Huckabee's role in rapist's parole comes under fresh scrutiny," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Mike Huckabee Joins Republican Presidential Race," May 5, 2015
- ↑ Washington Examiner, "Mike Huckabee gears up for 2016 run," September 15, 2014
- ↑ Center on the American Governor, "The Governors Who Became President: Brief Biographies," accessed October 30, 2013
- ↑ Meet the Press, "MTP Transcript for Jan. 28, 2008," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 CNN, "Huckabee, Obama have huge night in Iowa," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 The New York Times: Election 2008, "Results: Republican Delegate Count," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ Washington Post, "Huckabee Concedes Nomination to McCain," accessed July 20, 2015
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Guy Tucker (D) |
Governor of Arkansas 1996–2007 |
Succeeded by Mike Beebe (D) |
| Preceded by Jim Guy Tucker (D) |
Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas 1993–1996 |
Succeeded by Winthrop Rockefeller (R) |
