The Huckabee surge in Iowa

Jake Tapper:

Propelled by little more than his message and political skills, Republican presidential contender former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has vaulted into a statistical dead heat for first place in crucial, first-in-the-nation caucus state Iowa, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll.

Huckabee's surge is equal parts size and intensity, having gained considerable ground among key parts of the GOP base in the Hawkeye state — evangelicals, conservatives, weekly churchgoers and abortion opponents — with 50 percent of his supporters "very enthusiastic" about him, compared with 28 percent of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's supporters.

The affable underdog achieved all this on a shoestring budget with little national infrastructure and close to no support from the Republican establishment.

"The people of Iowa are pretty savvy when it comes to politics," Huckabee told ABC News in an interview. "They are folks who, you know, they auction their cattle, but not their presidential candidates. And so just because somebody's gone in there and spent a bunch of money doesn't necessarily mean the people of Iowa say, 'He's my guy.'"

...


Iowa is a state where retail politics works and a boot strap campaign can be successful, but that will not be enough to push someone to the presidency when it comes to the big states that follow in just a matter of weeks. Still Huckabee's skills will be important if he becomes a part of a Republican ticket that will be outspent by Democrats. He is a likable guy who could have become a multi millionaire if he had become the preacher of a mega church instead of a politician. Unfortunately for him he is still avoiding large contributions.

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