Huckabee sees gains in Iowa, South Carolina
New Republican polls from three key states were released Friday.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee appears to have leaped into contention in South Carolina and grabbed a share of the lead in Iowa, according to a new American Research Group poll released Friday.
Huckabee has gained 13 points over the past month among South Carolina primary voters. His 18 percent of the vote now puts him just behind former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s 23 percent and Mitt Romney’s 21 percent in that state, and just ahead of former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson’s 13 percent and Arizona Sen. John McCain’s 10 percent.
Huckabee also seems to have grabbed a share of the lead in Iowa, thanks to an 8 point gain: his 27 percent puts him in a statistical tie with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Thompson, McCain and Giuliani trail with 14, 9 and 9 percent of the vote respectively. Potentially even more troubling for Romney: the survey finds that 89 percent of Huckabee supporters say their support for the former Arkansas governor is definite, compared to just 56 percent of Romney supporters.
In New Hampshire, Romney continues to lead the Republican primary pack with 36 percent, with 22 percent for Giuliani, 13 percent for Huckabee, and 11 percent for McCain. The rest of the candidates were in single digits.
The margin of error for all polls was plus or minus 4 percentage points.
- CNN Associate Political Editor Rebecca Sinderbrand
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McCain/Huckabee 2008!!
Republicans might start getting it that Obama is winning!
I just wondered if Huckabee is running for president or for Comedian in Chief. He certainly thinks he is funny when he make remarks like "Hillary can be the on the first rocket to Mars. I think running for President is a serious matter and it seems like he thinks he needs to be funny whenever he appears on a debate. The thing that is the funniest is that he actually thinks he has a chance to be president. Sorry Mike...no way...
It's obviously because CNN focused on getting Huckabee questions in the last debate. Whoever gets the most air time is always considered a frontrunner on the basis that they are visible.
You don't see any meaningful numbers for people like Tancredo or Hunter because all the news media focuses on the "top-tier" candidates. Those polls are based more on face recognition than anything else.
I am a democrat, but I have a lot of respect for Gov. Huckabee. He seems to be a decent man who is the true compassionate conservative that George Bush claimed to be in 2000. I don't agree with him on much, but if he gets the nomination, I will feel a lot better about the future of our country. If Huckabee or the democrat wins, this country will be markedly better than it is now.
First Huckabee is really the only choice . I agree with a former post Huckabee with McCain as VP or Sec of Defense would be the best for America. As for him being funny it seems people said the same thing about Bill Clinton in his run and guess what? He won. It's true the worst thing for America is Hillary...not because of political affiliation, but because she will do what ever to achieve personal goals. She is a lizard with ever changing colors.
Ummmm....This is a joke and all of you naysayers will be humbled on Primary Day. Until I see Romney, Huckabee, or any other GOP candidate have rallies attended by 5000 Americans or huge supporter contributions – like Ron Paul does – I will continue to take these so-called "polls" with more than just a grain of salt.
We passed the 10 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE QUARTER mark today! It will be 15 million before the month is over.
I'd suggest that you join us. It's about freedom. True freedom.
Go Gov. Huckabee go! Across the board Huckabee is the best candidate. Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter & Tom Tancredo lack the charisma that is also required to be President. Hunter is most closely in line with my views but I realize he, Tom and Ron are best served staying in Congress!
Donate your cash to Huckabee!
Though is being very fiscally conservative and running a great campaign with the cash he has. And is beating Romney with his 10's of millions of dollars!
Both Governor Huckabee and Senator John Mccain are decent men who do not subscribe to the traditional ideology of partisanship. Governor Huckabee is a true compassionate conservative who has never "flip-flopped" on issues that he stands by. Similarly, John Mccain is an experienced, independent thinker who often crosses the aisle to do what to do what he believes in his heart, regardless of the political impact on himself. As a registered Democrat, I have absolute respect for both men, and would consider voting for them in a general election against a flip-flopper like Hillary Clinton.
Huckabee is a con also. He'a wants more dead Iraqis and dead U.S. soldiers.
I wish he want get the much needed dental work and play that phony religous game in front of the alziheimer patients he steals money from at church.
Huckabee is alright with me, I will vote for anybody willing to get rid of the IRS, the flat tax would go a long way to helping our manufacturing companies.
Dee Ward Mena, AR; Lighten up! Elections should be fun as well as serious. Huckabee is refrishing to the rest of us.
As a candidate, Huckabee calls for an end to the federal income tax and the Internal Revenue Service and the imposition of a "fair tax," which is a 23 percent sales tax on all new goods and services.
… which means that someone buying $10 shoes at WalMart because that's all they can afford will pay 23% tax … while the rich guy buying a yacht will hardly feel the pinch …
"The tax will apply only to new goods, so we can reduce our taxes further by buying a used car or computer,"
Sounds great! Unless you are working in a job that makes new cars and new computers. Everyone buying used except the rich and famous and before you know it, the working stiffs are out of a job.
"Clegg says that Huckabee's plan would eliminate corporate income taxes"
More corporate welfare
Huckabee is another neo-con in the waiting, just what this country does NOT need again! His push for a federal amendment on gay marriage is a big turnoff. I really wish the Republican Party would stop using the hardworking and tax paying citizens of the gay community as their discrimination package for their platform, it's getting old. Stop pandering to the radical right in this country and start focusing on the issues that affect the middle working class families. Jobs, economic stability, debt control, and healthcare. I don't give a crap what someone does in the privacy of their own home or with their own life decisions it's part of living in a free society.
All I see on that stage is a bunch of rich white racist men, where's the diversity?
Huckabee will be President. He truly fits the mold, in so many ways. Americans won't vote for the Mayor of New York City, or a northeastern Governor.
No diversity in this photograph (unless someone's "closeted"...a very real possibility)!!!
Looks about as diverse as the political views of CNN.
Everyone is well aware that some of the news media jockeys, talk hosts, and vested interest political surrogates describe Huckabee’s upward poll ratings as a “upward momentum”, others just call Huckabee’s upward serge as a positive poll trend.
Make no mistake about it, Mike Huckabee supporters consider his upward serge in the polls as the voice of the American people getting louder and louder!
Mike, your Team believes a southern voice is better than no voice at all!
Go Huckabee!!!
I'd love Mike Huckabee for my pastor, but not my President! He IS refreshingly funny and compassionate. However, a man who wants to give our country to illegals is a little too comapssionate for me. Gov. Huckabee has a disasterous economic record and our country cannot afford to take an economic hit form Huckabee!
Be wise peole. I'd be the first in line Sunday morning for a sermon, but I will not vote for him as President. I love my country too much.
I am afraid our good Evangelical neighbors that I love and respect have blurred a very important line.
It'll be Romney for me.