Huckabee Struggles For Traction

Last updated Saturday, October 20, 2007 6:39 PM CDT in News

By Aaron Sadler
THE MORNING NEWS

Huckabee said Saturday he may be at fault for the disconnect with top evangelicals.

"It could be more that I've not spent as much time dealing with them on a personal level ... There may be some discomfort because maybe they don't know me as well," he said.

French said she was concerned about some of the tax increases enacted in Arkansas while Huckabee was governor.

Gary Bauer, a former presidential hopeful and Family Research Council head, said other Republicans have questioned whether Huckabee was tough enough on illegal immigration.

"A lot of people felt like he was very soft on immigration, for one, and there are concerns about foreign policy," Bauer said.

However, Bauer, like others, said Huckabee still has an opportunity to gain traction among Republicans.

Many GOP voters are dissatisfied with the field. Social conservatives oppose frontrunner Rudy Giuliani because of his abortion rights views.

"We're wide open," said Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio. "The general Republican likes parts of all of them and wants to figure out which is the best person."

Huckabee is still unknown among the GOP rank-and-file, Schmidt said.

Tony Beam, a radio talk show host from South Carolina, supports Huckabee's candidacy. But Beam is not sure Huckabee is electable.

His priority, and that of many others at the weekend conference, is to derail Hillary Clinton's White House bid.

"If we don't select somebody that has national exposure and attention, we're going to get run over by the Clinton machine," Beam said.

The Hutchinsons, Divided

Support for Huckabee's presidential bid does not run deep in the Hutchinson family.

Jeremy Hutchinson, a former state legislator and son of former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson, is helping Fred Thompson's campaign for the GOP nomination.

His father and his uncle, former congressman Asa Hutchinson, have endorsed Huckabee.

"I wish Governor Huckabee well, he's doing very well, and I'm confident he'll continue to do well," Jeremy Hutchinson said. "I don't think my support matters much anyway. It's not going to affect either one of their fortunes."

Jeremy Hutchinson said he thought Thompson had a broader base of support and could better compete in the general election.

Huckabee, when asked about the younger Hutchinson's endorsement, said: "The more mature, seasoned and experienced Hutchinsons are with me, and I'll leave it at that and thank them for it."

Former Principal Recognized

Though no longer a principal at Springdale's Bayyari Elementary School, Debbie Davis is still earning honors as though she were.

And Davis, now a professor at the University of Arkansas, said she may as well still be a principal.

In her new job, she trains future school administrators.

"My heart is very much with the principals and the principalship, that is my love," Davis said.

Davis was recognized last week in Washington as a "National Distinguished Principal." She was one of about 60 principals from across the country honored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

Also honored from Arkansas was Robin Stover, principal at College Hill Middle School in Texarkana.

A committee of Arkansas principals selected the state designees.

"There are just so many talented, talented people out there," Davis said. "I'm just honored and amazed to be a part of this."

While in Washington, the distinguished principals met with U.S. Department of Education officials including Ray Simon, an Arkansan and the deputy U.S. secretary of education.

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