Mike Huckabee: Donald Trump Is Our Only Hope
Just over three months ago, Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump were still opposing one another in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. On Wednesday, though, Huckabee announced that Trump is America’s only hope.
Although the former Governor of Arkansas has resisted endorsing any particular candidate since he himself dropped out of the presidential race, he has now announced, according to CNN, that he is “all in” for the leading candidate in the Republican race, and that it’s time for “Never Trump” campaigns to come to an end and for the party to unite behind the former reality star.
He hinted that an endorsement might be forthcoming last week, when he discussed his feelings about defending Trump from people who say a Trump presidency would be terrible. In the video below, Huckabee explains that he appreciates that the controversial candidate has drawn new voters to the Republican party.
On Huckabee’s own website, he declared that he believes Trump will defeat Hillary Clinton to become President of the United States. He compared the Trump and Ted Cruz campaigns with his own and explained why he has withheld an endorsement until now.
“Is Donald Trump as pro-life as me? No. Is he as solid on the marriage issue as me? No. Does his position on Israel come from a deep conviction both politically and Biblically? No. But neither did Ted Cruz’s. And much to my chagrin, the voters didn’t accept my message, but his. I withheld an endorsement during the heat of the primary because it was the job of the voters to select the person they wanted more than me.”
However, on Tuesday, Ted Cruz ended his campaign for the Republican nomination. Kasich followed his lead on Wednesday, leaving Trump as the only actively campaigning candidate for the GOP nomination.
On his social media page, Huckabee declared that President Barack Obama has been driving America toward the edge of a cliff since 2008, that a Clinton presidency would “send us flying over the edge,” and that electing Donald Trump is America’s only hope.
“John Kasich gave a moving and graceful, if somewhat overdue, departure speech, focused on the people who had supported his campaign rather than himself. I can sympathize with the disappointment he must feel, but like it or not, the people have spoken. The Republican Party now must come together and focus on keeping Hillary Clinton from becoming President and appointing Supreme Court Justices. President Obama spent eight years driving America toward a cliff. Electing Trump is now our only hope to put the car in reverse, or else let Hillary Clinton send us flying over the edge. Personally, I’m not interested in seeing America end like ‘Thelma and Louise.'”
As he says, Huckabee has defended Trump several times, even speaking positively about him while the pair were still opponents and later decrying the alliance between Cruz and Kasich.
Whether you agree w him, 1 reason I respect Trump: he doesnt pretend w his principles or change his message depending on location/audience.
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) December 23, 2015
Cruz, Kasich join forces to stop Trump. I wish they wanted to stop Hillary and much as they did the Republican who is beating both of them.
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) April 25, 2016
Huckabee has made it clear that opposing Hillary Clinton is the highest priority for him, although he and Trump have taken opposing sides on a number of issues.
When Trump calls Hillary "crooked," I suggest a perfect reply for her: "I am not a crook!"
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) April 18, 2016
Several other former 2016 GOP presidential hopefuls (Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, and Ben Carson) have already endorsed Donald Trump. Mike Huckabee’s support represents one more of his former opponents in the race coming together behind the presumptive GOP nominee.
[Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images]
