Though he has yet to officially announce, it would be a surprise to virtually everyone if Mike Huckabee chose not to enter the Republican fray for the White House in the coming weeks.
Having already quit his lucrative show at Fox News Channel, the former Arkansas governor is already on the road promoting his new book God, Guns, Grits and Gravy, which foreshadowsa campaign bent on a new populism.
In a recent interview, Huckabee staked new ground in what looks to be a reformulated version of his 2008 campaign that recasts his populist brand. He indicated that those who “live within the enclaves of the educational and cultural establishment and elites” are out of touch with ordinary Americans. He continued:
“I don’t begrudge anybody who was fortunate enough to be born into wealth or prestige. It’s not their fault any more than it was my fault that I was born into poverty. If we ever do transfer the essence of America into a more European aristocracy-based ruling class then I think the country in all of its great strengths is virtually lost.”
The strategy comes as a bold approach that is an obvious swipe not only at the big-money class on Wall Street but equally at candidates Bush and Romney whose own personal fortunes and political favor fall in the crosshairs of Huckabee’s aim.
This center-right populism might even be couched as the Republican version of Elizabeth Warren who has quickly emerged as Hillary Clinton’s nemesis in mock-contests for the Democrat nomination.
