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Influential South Carolina Family Endorses Mike Huckabee's Presidential Bid

February 12, 2007 1:37 PM

ABC News' Brandon A. Odoi Reports: Republican presidential hopeful Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., picked up a key endorsement while touring South Carolina today in advance of the state's primary in February of next year.  On a conference call from Columbia, SC this morning, Huckabee cheerfully introduced Iris and Mike Campbell as new additions to his campaign team in South Carolina. 

Iris is the widow of Carroll Campbell, the very popular former South Carolina governor.  She'll serve the campaign as an honorary chairperson for Huckabee's in state efforts.  Her son Mike will take a much larger role, having been tapped to work as a Senior National Advisor for the campaign.  He will also coordinate the campaign operations locally in South Carolina. 

The Campbell name in South Carolina brings much influence and the family needs no introduction to presidential politics.  In the past, they have endorsed Ronald Reagan, former President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush's bids for primary victories in the state. Huckabee hopes today's endorsement will be "a real turning point," for his campaign in the state.  Mike Campbell noted that Huckabee was "a true conservative" and his family's relationship with him reaches back many years.

After the Campbell's supported Reagan's successful candidacy, no Republican has won the nomination or the presidency without first winning in South Carolina and having their support. 

Since Saturday, the former Governor of Arkansas has been in the Palmetto state traveling from Conway to Columbia.  Huckabee, a Baptist minister, also made a few stops to speak to churches looking to energize evangelicals.  Those are votes he will not take for granted, despite his ministerial background.  "I've got to earn their vote just like everyone else's," he said. 

Huckabee will look to make several visits to New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina in the coming months to make a push for the nomination.  As a former southern governor, he'll look to South Carolina, the first southern Republican primary state, as a launching pad. 

A relative unknown to many voters nationally, Huckabee hopes to to increase his profile by giving people an opportunity to get to know his heart, spirit and the kind of person he is.  Hoping to move, as his newly released book says "From Hope to Higher Ground."

February 12, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (1)

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Posted by: john dawes | Apr 9, 2007 6:14:50 PM

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