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Mike Huckabee Holds Strong Lead Among Conservative Christian Bloc
The survey from the Barna Group, a leading Christian research organization, also indicates that Huckabee could go toe-to-toe with all Republican challengers, and he would be the toughest foe for President Obama in November 2012.
Huckabee, a former Baptist pastor, is strongest among evangelical Christians -- the 7 percent of the population that Barna defines by the strictest criteria of traditional faith and biblical literalism -- with an 88 percent favorable rating, followed by former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, with a 79 percent favorable ranking.
The field tails off considerably from there among evangelicals, with Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney -- who are widely expected to be among the first to throw their hats in the ring -- clocking 57 and 56 percent favorability ratings, respectively.
President Obama registers a meager 6 percent approval rating among this group, and an eye-opening 94 percent unfavorability rating.
Among "born again Christians" -- a pivotal and largely Republican-leaning group in the last three elections that Barna describes as "considerably less conservative than its evangelical subset" -- Huckabee still leads, with a 58 percent favorability rating. But Romney surges to a 49 percent positive ranking, just behind Palin at 53 percent. Gingrich polls at just 43 percent among born again Christians.Among all Republicans, Palin and Romney post 69 percent favorability scores, but Huckabee is just behind with a 68 percent favorable rating. Gingrich generated a 62-32 positive-to-negative score among members of his party.
Spread across all voters, the numbers for the leading GOP candidates reflected other recent polls, as Huckabee still led, with 44 percent of adults holding a favorable view and 38 percent a negative view of him, followed by Romney, at an almost even 40-39 favorable-to-unfavorable ratio.
But the numbers for Palin (36 percent favorable) and Gingrich (32 percent favorable) fall off sharply from there.
An analysis by the Barna Group, which is led by evangelical Christian George Barna, concludes that while Obama stands "a better-than-even chance of being re-elected . . . Mrs. Palin would be the easiest opponent for him to defeat, while Mr. Huckabee would be the toughest adversary."
The numbers also suggest, however, that Huckabee's greatest electoral challenge could be securing his own party's nomination. In 2008, Huckabee's support among religious conservatives propelled him through the primaries, but he still finished second to John McCain.
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I: certainly hope he wins he has my vote.
March 08 2011 at 1:40 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down ReplyI do not know how christian this group can be when a man like Huckabee throws out lies about our President. This seems to be all so hypocritical to me. Anybody who tries to berate the President personally does not seem to be a christian to me. You can like or dislike his policies but not malign the man. I agree with some of what the President has done. I also disagree with somethings too. However, I still think he is a good Christian man. No one is going to agree wih you all the time about everything. He has done a good job. More needs to be done. I do not see too many good Republican candidaes that cvould do a better job yet. You had the Republicans there with President Bush and Obama was left with this huge deficit. True he has added to it mostly out of necessity. To fix the deficit and debt we should do a balance of cutting wisely and raising taxes slightly. Do not cut just for cutting sake.-that would be irresponsible.
March 06 2011 at 4:55 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyNO theocracy, freedom is what we want in America
March 06 2011 at 4:41 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThose who believe in Jesus Christ are not Religious Nuts, they are beleivers in Jesus Christ who died for their sins and has given them eternal life. A relationship with Jesus is not about religion. It is about life, and life eternal.
God's Word said the things of God are like foolishness to those who do not believe because they cannot discern the Truth. Chistians are being attacked here and all over the world, and that is no surprise, Jesus himself told Believers this would happen. Woe unto those who attack the children of God.
This just in:
'Religious Nuts Support Religious Nut For President'
Stop the presses!
Come on people,didn't want Huck last election, don't want him now........had enough of back woods preacher men just from obama's run......Like obama,Huck will be a one term deal....Go Mitt....
March 06 2011 at 8:12 AM Report abuse Permalink -2 rate up rate down ReplyHe is loved by Christian conservatives here in Florida as is Sarah Palin.
March 06 2011 at 5:56 AM Report abuse Permalink -2 rate up rate down ReplyForget these people, it's Ron Paul or David Duke 2012!
Or both of them running together!
OK, but as a resident of Arkansas since 1954...I know how I'm going to vote in the next presidential election. After all, I fought for our country in WW!! as an infantry rifleman and scout in the southwest Pacific area...and we won that one,,,as Americans working and fighting together.
I suggest that all of us forget political parties ...and become Americans again...working together for our country;
It was a sucess then...and can be again!
Before I read the comments below, I want to say that there are many Republican potential candidates who are better than what we have in the White House today. I strongly believe this. I only wish the Country would vote for someone who cares about all Americans, not just the ones who support his/her opinions and programs. Our Country is in desperate need of an unbiased leader, one who will work for ALL. That said, now I will read the comments.
March 05 2011 at 8:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
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