Why They Love Huckabee

The former Arkansas Governor has cornered many of Iowa's conservatives. Is this the year for an insurgent Republican?

Brooks Kraft / Corbis for TIME

Swaying votes: Huckabee holds court at the Cheshire Country Republican committee's holiday party in New Hampshire.

Once upon a time, a little-known Southern Governor charmed Iowa voters with his frank expressions of Baptist faith and a pledge to tell the truth no matter what. And that's how Jimmy Carter became President of the United States. It's a story Mike Huckabee knows well. He likes it much better than the one about televangelist Pat Robertson's strong showing in Iowa, which melted away faster than a Tulsa ice storm when the contest went national. The Iowa caucuses almost always produce an interesting tale, but interesting doesn't translate into lasting significance. As Huckabee, a former Baptist preacher and Governor of...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!