February 19, 2008
Posted: 10:00 AM ET
Huckabee acknowledges his continued campaign may carry some political risk.
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (CNN) – Day after day, stop after stop along the campaign trail, Mike Huckabee is dogged by a single question. Why is he still in the race? Monday he admitted that it may not be the best idea for his political future but that doesn't bother him. “Folks, the reason I’m staying in this race is because I’m working for the next generation, not the next election,” Huckabee told supporters Monday at a rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “I may be killing my political career, but I know this – if we don’t start thinking in terms of solving some of America’s problems, we’re killing all of your careers.” When pressed further on how his campaign will affect his future, Huckabee told CNN, “I think I’m helping the country’s future, I think I’m helping the party’s future. The party is not well served if it doesn’t have an honest discussion about who it is, where it’s headed. And if the party can’t handle having more than one point of few, it’s not a very strong party.” Huckabee says his future status in the party is not his decision, nor is it a concern. “It shouldn’t be about me, it should be about the country first and the party second. Not the party first and the country second.” He sees himself as the lone candidate talking about the issues he feels are central to the grassroots “foot soldiers” of the Republican Party – the need for human life amendment, preventing embryonic stem cell research, overhauling the tax system with the Fair Tax and stopping illegal immigration. “I think it’s not hurting the party for me to stay in and continue the dialogue,” Huckabee told reporters Monday. “I think it hurts the party for us to act like we can’t handle any type of views other than let’s all circle the wagons around one [candidate] and call it a day.” - CNN Political Producer Alexander Marquardt
Filed under: Mike Huckabee |
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