Mike Huckabee
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| Mike Huckabee | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mike Huckabee |
| Caption | Huckabee in 2015 |
| Office | 44th Governor of Arkansas |
| Lieutenant | Winthrop Paul Rockefeller |
| Term start | July 15, 1996 |
| Term end | January 9, 2007 |
| Predecessor | Jim Guy Tucker |
| Successor | Mike Beebe |
| Office1 | 11th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas |
| Governor1 | Jim Guy Tucker |
| Term start1 | November 20, 1993 |
| Term end1 | July 15, 1996 |
| Predecessor1 | Jim Guy Tucker |
| Successor1 | Winthrop Paul Rockefeller |
| Birth name | Michael Dale Huckabee |
| Birth date | 24 August 1955 |
| Birth place | Hope, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Janet McCain, 1974 |
| Children | 3, including Sarah Huckabee Sanders |
| Education | Ouachita Baptist University (BA), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary |
| Occupation | Politician, author, commentator |
Mike Huckabee is an American politician, author, and conservative media personality. He served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007, following a term as the state's Lieutenant Governor. Huckabee gained national prominence as a candidate in the 2008 and 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, leveraging his background as a Southern Baptist minister and his appeal to evangelical Christian voters. He has since maintained a significant public profile through television and radio programs on networks like Fox News and through his authorship of several books.
Early life and education
Michael Dale Huckabee was born in Hope, Arkansas, a town also the birthplace of former President Bill Clinton. He was the son of Dorsey W. Huckabee, a firefighter, and Mae Huckabee, who worked at the Hope Water & Light Commission. He attended Hope High School and later enrolled at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in religion. He pursued further theological studies at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, but did not complete a degree, instead entering the ministry and serving at churches in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Texarkana, Arkansas.
Political career
Huckabee's political career began with an unsuccessful run for the United States Senate in 1992, losing to incumbent Dale Bumpers. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas in a 1993 special election and assumed the governorship in July 1996 upon the resignation of Jim Guy Tucker following the Whitewater controversy. He was elected to full terms as governor in 1998 and 2002, focusing on policy areas such as education reform, healthcare, and infrastructure. His tenure included overseeing the state's response to disasters like Hurricane Katrina and commuting the sentence of Maurice Clemmons, who later committed the 2009 Lakewood police shooting. He chaired the National Governors Association and the Southern Governors' Association and was a prominent figure in the Republican Governors Association.
Media career
After leaving the Arkansas State Capitol, Huckabee launched a successful media career. He hosted the weekly talk show Huckabee on the Fox News Channel from 2008 to 2015. He also had a nationally syndicated radio show, The Mike Huckabee Show, distributed by Cumulus Media. In 2017, he returned to television with Huckabee on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. He has been a frequent commentator on outlets like CNN and ABC News and is a bestselling author of books including God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy and The Simple Life.
Political positions
Huckabee is a staunch social conservative, advocating for policies aligned with the Christian right. He is strongly anti-abortion, supporting the defunding of Planned Parenthood and the appointment of judges who might overturn Roe v. Wade. He is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and supported the First Amendment Defense Act. On economic issues, he championed the FairTax proposal and has criticized the Internal Revenue Service. His foreign policy views are generally hawkish, supporting a strong alliance with Israel and a robust military. He has expressed skepticism about evolution and support for teaching creationism in public schools.
Personal life
Huckabee married Janet McCain in 1974, and they have three children: John Mark, David, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as White House Press Secretary under President Donald Trump and was later elected Governor of Arkansas. A devout Southern Baptist, he served as president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention and has been involved with organizations like the American Family Association. He is an avid musician, playing bass guitar, and has performed with celebrities like Willie Nelson and Chuck Norris. He has also been open about his significant weight loss and subsequent health advocacy.
Electoral history
His federal electoral campaigns include the 1992 U.S. Senate race lost to Dale Bumpers. He won the 1993 special election for Lieutenant Governor. As a presidential candidate, he won the 2008 Iowa Republican caucuses and several other primaries before conceding the nomination to John McCain. In the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, he suspended his campaign after the Iowa caucuses and ultimately endorsed Donald Trump. He also considered a run in the 2012 Republican Party presidential primaries but did not formally enter the race.
Category:1955 births Category:American Baptists Category:Governors of Arkansas Category:Lieutenant Governors of Arkansas Category:Republican Party governors of Arkansas Category:Republican Party (United States) presidential nominees Category:American television personalities Category:American radio personalities Category:People from Hope, Arkansas Category:Ouachita Baptist University alumni Category:Living people