The recent success of Mike Huckabee in Iowa and in many polls suggests that many Republicans are not happy with their party in general and are looking for a leader who is not part of “the establishment.” While some may say otherwise, I don’ think a vote for Huckabee is an outright rejection of Republicans in general or Bush in particular since President George W. Bush remains popular with most Republicans. I do feel, though, that most Huckabee supporters are very dissatisfied the poor performance of the previous Republican-controlled Congress and are eager to see real change. Let me explain.
In spite of the low approval ratings of Congress, it seems that Congressional Republicans did make some strides in redeeming themselves this past year while in the minority. I feel they have a lot more proving to do before voters wish to trust them with majority status again.
In 2006 enough Democrats were elected to punish big-spending and out-of-touch Republicans and thus they narrowly gained control of both chambers of Congress. While Democrats became the majority party, I don’t feel they received a strong mandate for many of the policies they began to push and thus they ended up squandering most of their political capital last year.
So with this picture in mind, I think Mike Huckabee is a breath of fresh air within a stagnating Republican Party. He is in touch and personable. Even better, he is a communicator and not a Washington insider. He brings hope and new ideas. He demonstrates a willingness to tackle problems in a different way than simply throwing money around. The strategy he is successfully employing in his campaign shows he can be frugal and is one who actually thinks “outside the box.” That’s great news.
These attributes are good news for the Republican Party and will bring much needed energy and enthusiasm to the debate. His quick thinking “on the stump” and his ability to articulate in 8-second sound bites is essential in the current superficial environment, especially if another strong communicator like Barak Obama wins the Democratic nomination. Huckabee’s heartland approach and non-Washington style makes him more appealing to non-Republicans and that will be essential if the GOP is to win the Presidency in 2008.
Think of this: Mike Huckabee teamed with a strong and respected running mate with vast foreign policy experience (somebody like John McCain, for example) just might be the winning combination for November. Such a ticket would shake up (think freshen up) the Republican Party’s image and energize the conservative base in ways that would impact millions — including the campaigns of other Republicans. Since he can bring people together and offers hope and vision, that would be good for the Republican Party. Actually, a campaign of ideas like these is long overdue and would be good for the nation.