Huckabee Hits the Big Time

Posted Dec 5, 2007 by By Krista Klaus

Updated Dec 5, 2007 at 08:47 AM

    An exclusive Newschannel Eight poll conducted by Survey USA shows Republicans jockeying for position after last week’s CNN/YouTube debate.

    The poll shows former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee bumping off former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the number two position in Florida. Huckabee climbed 4 percentage points among Florida Republicans in the week since the debate.

    “A lot of the movement for Huckabee are the people who used to like Romney. They’re social conservatives who really find that Huckabee’s more to their liking,” said Dr. Susan MacManus, Newschannel 8 political analyst.

    The Survey USA poll mirrors a USA Today/Gallup poll that also shows Huckabee gaining ground. With more than half of those polled by USA Today still unfamiliar with Huckabee, MacManus said his momentum can’t be ignored.

    “Huckabee’s real strength has been his ability to communicate on television and be quickwitted and funny in a debate scene,” MacManus said.

      And as the primary season heats up, it’s hard to miss the parallels between Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, and one of his predecessors, Pres. Bill Clinton. It was back in 1991 that Clinton, a little-known governor, emerged from the pack of Democrats with a strong showing in the early primaries.

    Now 16 years later comes Huckabee, a smooth talker with strong convictions, born in Hope, Ark., the same birthplace as Clinton.

    The USA Today poll also shows the frontrunners for both parties losing some ground in recent weeks. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has lost 9 polling points in the past month, while Sen. Hillary Clinton has lost 11 points. Both still hold wide leads in the early-going.

    Florida’s presidential preference primary is Jan. 29, 2008.