Widely credited with helping John McCain beat out Mitt Romney as the Republican candidate for president in 2008, by taking votes away from Romney, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee remains a favorite with people who are known as “values voters.” In a recent straw poll conducted at Value Voters Summit in Washington, DC last week, Huckabee beat out all challengers as the crowd favorite to represent the Republican Party in 2012.

Looking Ahead to 2012

Though President Obama has been in office a mere eight months, conservative and faith-based voters are already looking ahead to the next campaign. Huckabee, who currently hosts a one-hour variety show on FoxNews every Saturday night, has successfully expanded his influence among some voters though he hasn’t announced his plans for the next election. Likely, by early 2011, those plans will become known, starting what will certainly be a lengthy and perhaps acrimonious campaign season.

Huckabee garnered twenty-eight percent of the votes with former Massachusetts governor Romney finishing second with 12.4% of the vote. Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin pulled down 12.23% and 12.06% of the vote. Close behind was Indiana congressmen Mike Pence with 11.89% of the vote. Newt Gingrich, Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul each received votes with five percent of those who voted choosing “undecided.”

Pastor Mike Huckabee

Former governor Huckabee’s star has been rising for some time among Republicans, particularly those who identify themselves as evangelical or “born again” Christians. Huckabee served as Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007, stepping down in order to run for president. A former Baptist pastor and leader of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention from 1989 to 1991, Huckabee has been credited with mending race relations, by encouraging his white congregation to accept black members.

Besides identifying a leading candidate for president, 40% of the two thousand social conservatives who attended the summit said that abortion was their most important issue when selecting a candidate. 18% identified religious liberty, 7% same-sex marriage while 6% said that tax cuts was the most important issue to them.

The 2009 Value Voters Summit began on Friday, September 18th and wrapped up on Sunday morning, September 20th. The Family Research Council, led by Tony Perkins, hosted the event which was held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in our nation’s capitol. Rep. Michelle Bachmann, actor Stephen Baldwin, Star Parker, Ken Blackwell and Bill O’Reilly were among the people who spoke this year.

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