Huckabee launches 2nd presidential campaign

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announces his 2016 presidential campaign on Tuesday, May, 5, 2015 in his hometown of Hope.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announces his 2016 presidential campaign on Tuesday, May, 5, 2015 in his hometown of Hope.

HOPE — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announced his second presidential bid Tuesday morning in his hometown of Hope.

Huckabee had said April 17 on Fox News' Special Report with host Bret Baier that he would officially announce his 2016 plans in the hometown he shares with former President Bill Clinton.

During the announcement, Huckabee talked about early life in Arkansas and said he "truly went from Hope to higher ground" as he formally announced his entry into the 2016 presidential race.

He further explained campaign themes released in a video Friday, including his ability to win a governorship in "Bill Clinton's Arkansas."

Huckabee told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he has the best chance of defeating former Arkansas first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in the presidential race because he isn't intimidated.

"I governed in a state that was the most lopsided and partisan in the country," Huckabee said, referring to a state General Assembly where Democrats held the majority during his governorship. "I challenged the deeply-entrenched political machine that ran this state. I fought ... the good old boy system so that finally middle class people would be given a fair shake."

Huckabee told the cheering crowd that he would get rid of the federal Department of Education, and focus on "maximum" wages instead of a minimum wage, securing the country's borders and term limits for all three branches of federal government. He also said he would work to pass the fair tax, an overhaul that would replace all federal taxes with a broad tax on retail goods and services.

"The IRS would disappear, and April 15 would be just another beautiful spring day," Huckabee said.

Huckabee asked the crowd to support him with whatever contributions they could give since he would not be "the favorite candidate of those on Wall Street."

"The journey that begins in Hope today can bring this nation to higher ground but I cannot do it without people being my partners," Huckabee said. "I ask you to join with me today ... to preserve this great republic so that someday your children and grandchildren can still go from hope to higher ground."

Huckabee on Tuesday also vowed Tuesday to better the country's veteran services as president, to protect Social Security, to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to defeat ISIS and like-minded terror groups.

"As president, I promise you we will no longer merely try to contain jihadism," he said. "We will conquer it. We will deal with jihadis just as we would deal with deadly snakes. And let there be no doubt: Israel will know, as will the whole world, that we are their trusted friend. And the ayatollahs of Iran will know that hell will freeze over before they get a nuclear weapon."

Huckabee closed his speech talking about his father and how he died shortly before Huckabee became governor.

"I always wish he could have been there and maybe spent at least one night in the governor's mansion, a place he never thought he'd get close to. But I always wanted to feel that he did see that moment from the best seat in the house," Huckabee said, motioning upward with his finger. "And I hope that he's able to watch in January in 2017 when that bashful little kid from the orange-brick rent house on Second Street is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States," Huckabee said to loud applause.

Wife Janet Huckabee and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson spoke before Huckabee came on stage. Hutchinson called it an "extraordinarily exciting" day for Hope and an "important day for our nation."

"We need a leader of our country who is steady on their feet, steady with their convictions, has a vision for America, has good conservative values and who is a proven leader," Hutchinson said. "Mike Huckabee has every one of those qualities and will make a great president of the United States."

Before the announcement, the ordained Baptist minister and book author took steps to clear the way for another campaign by leaving his television show at Fox News and ending his syndicated radio show. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette previously reported that Huckabee had formed an exploratory committee and hired senior staff members, including daughter Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin.

Huckabee served as Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007 and later moved to Florida after joining Fox News. He and his wife, Janet, became Florida voters in 2010.

This presidential campaign marks Huckabee's second after a failed bid in 2008. In seeking the Republican nomination that year, he received more than 4 million votes and carried eight states, including Arkansas, but lagged in fundraising. The former governor has said he would expect this time to raise funds through a super PAC, a political action committee that can raise and spend an unlimited amount but cannot coordinate that spending with the candidate.

Huckabee will hit the campaign trail Wednesday on a previously announced three-day tour through two key early voting states: Iowa and South Carolina. Spokesman Alice Stewart said the "Factories, Farms & Freedom" tour will focus on farm policy and taxes and wages for Iowa workers.

See Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full coverage.

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Mike and Janet Huckabee hold two of their grandchildren Tuesday after Mike Huckabee launched his second presidential campaign.

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