Huckabee Campaign Press Release - Huckabee Iowa War Room Update: January 24 Edition

By Jack Sisson, Director of Research and Rapid Response

WOWZA. Like a restless, relentless American rancher with a passion for the prairie, the Gov. was corralling Republican Hucka-believers on both ends of the state—ALL weekend long!!!... And the Gov's fingers are so battered, tattered & torn from Friday's ELECTRIC performance at the Surf Ballroom... they look like he was stitching steel-plated soccer balls with BARBED wire….But he just WONT stop! Another big rally and performance Monday night, with country music star Josh Turner that you DO NOT want to miss! (#JT4Vice)... Amazing pro-life event today and four fantastic Saturday events. A few WAR ROOM print clips below…

HUCK TWITTER Quick Hits=>

"Great to be playing with the praise band at New Life Community Church this morning!"

"Perfect Sunday afternoon in Cedar Rapids with some Team Huck members: laundry, selfies & NFL Playoffs!"

"Backstage with FireHouseBand at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. We're ready to rock the house! #HuckBass"

FACEBOOK=> The political attacks are never-ending, leaving many to ask, "Who is telling the truth?" "Which way is up?" I'm reminded of Proverbs 22:28: "Remove not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set." This verse refers to ancient boundary stones that served as critical navigation points - the GPS of Biblical times. If these landmarks were moved, travelers might become hopelessly lost. Our culture has inherited invaluable political boundary stones from the Founding Fathers. What looks like confusion and darkness in America is a result of moving cultural boundary stones. We have moved the boundary stones of freedom, by trading liberty for government dependency. We have moved the boundary stones of marriage and family, by redefining them. We will become hopelessly lost as a culture unless we return to the Judeo-Christian values this country - by the providence of God - was built on.

"Huckabee continues 150-event Iowa campaign whilrwind Sun., Mon. & Tues."….DES MOINES, Iowa—Mike Huckabee will continue his 150-event January campaign schedule for Iowa, with events tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday…."Authenticity and conviction matters, and I will never say one thing in Marshalltown, Iowa and another in Manhattan," said Gov. Huckabee. "As others launch nasty attacks, our positive message is resonating and our momentum continues to grow across Iowa with a week remaining before the caucuses." Since January 19, Huckabee has held Iowa events every single day, and he will continue campaigning daily in Iowa until the caucuses. Huckabee will be joined by actor, Jim Labriola, often noted for his role in the popular television show "Home Improvement," from January 26—31….

"Huckabee joins Firehouse at the Surf"—Mason City Globe Gazette...Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee took some time off from traditional campaigning Friday night when he took the stage to perform with FireHouse at the Surf Ballroom. Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and 2008 winner of the Iowa caucuses, played the bass guitar with the rock band. It marked a return appearance for Huckabee at the Surf. In 2008, he played with Boston's Barry Goudreau...

"Janet Huckabee campaigns and greets voters"— Mason City Globe Gazette...Several presidential candidates will be calling Iowa home until voters cast their votes it the state caucuses and that includes former Gov. Mike Huckabee and wife, Janet. We caught up with her today in Mason City at Cabin Coffee. There she helped campaign on behalf of her husband, by speaking with voters about the values her family stands for. Janet says she enjoys meeting voters one on one, because it creates a more open and honest dialogue about the issues they want to see fixed. "We have some major problems in America. This is not the time for on-the-job training. We need people with leadership skills people back and say I've been there and done that. We have some difficulties in America. Mike has a proven record. You can look at the state of Arkansas and see that he has been through difficulties," said Janet Huckabee. Friday, you can catch the Huckabees in Clear Lake at the Surf Ballroom. Mike is scheduled to play bass guitar for the 80's rock band Firehouse. Janet says beyond playing the bass, Mike sets himself apart from other candidates by having conviction toward issues like abortion. "We have been saying for a long time that we are pro-life. Others are pro-life, but Mike wants to use the constitution, the fifth and the 14 amendment to say now we can use the Constitution to protect life and that is because the Constitution guarantees people or persons due process," said Huckabee. The Huckabee campaign has 150 Iowa events planned for the final month before the caucuses...

"Huckabee's 5 grandkids inspired him to seek presidency"—Des Moines Register... Mike Huckabee stood in the middle of the moving RV and pointed to the 23 photos of his five grandchildren stuck onto the walls around the inside of the vehicle. The photos "remind me about why I'm doing this," the former Arkansas governor and Fox News talk show host said as he rattled off the children's names and ages, their likes and dislikes. He sees the photos each time he gets onto the RV and each time he disembarks to talk with Iowans about why they should support him in the Feb. 1 Republican caucuses….None of Huckabee's grandchildren had been born eight years ago when he made his first run for president…."I'm not convinced that the America they are growing up in is one that is going to give them the same level of opportunity and freedom that I have been so blessed in this country to have grown up with," he told a group at the Ogden senior citizens center in January. He left his job at Fox News a year ago and in May announced he was running for president. The day after his announcement, Huckabee was in Iowa. Since then, he's spent 65 days in the state, stopping in all 99 counties... What gives Huckabee hope is that the poll also showed that 56 percent of likely caucusgoers could either change their minds about their first-place choice or had not settled on a first choice. "He surprised us all in 2008; it could happen again," said Jayme Neiman, assistant professor of political science at the University of Northern Iowa. Huckabee was trailing in the polls until a month before the 2008 Iowa caucuses but pulled out a win, garnering nearly 41,000 votes, the most ever for a Republican... Huckabee remains optimistic. "My sense is, folks haven't nailed it down yet," he told The Des Moines Register. "Some of them won't until the night they go to the caucuses." That's why at each town hall, he tells audiences to go the caucuses regardless of the weather. "But, if you're not going to caucus for me," he says, only half-jokingly, "stay home and watch it on TV because it will be cold outside…."

"Huckabee tells Fort Dodge group there's always a surprise caucus night"—Des Moines Register...If you aren't going to caucus for him, then don't caucus at all, former Gov. Mike Huckabee told a group that gathered to him here on Saturday...Halfway through his stump speech, one of the "I Like Mike" signs taped to the window behind him fell. "There's always a surprise on caucus night. Just go ahead and prepare for another one," Huckabee said. He told them to encourage people to caucus, unless they aren't supporting him…."I really believe one of the things you hire a president to do is to react to things they don't know are coming," Huckabee said. He later added that his governing philosophy is to follow the Golden Rule. The former governor of Arkansas came down heavily on the U.S. Supreme Court, criticizing it for its ruling on same-sex marriage. When a president sees a ruling as unconstitutional, it is his responsibility to ignore it, Huckabee said. "Courts can't make law," Huckabee said, adding that responsibility belongs to elected officials. He later told the Register that a court can review law, but giving it an absolute iron-clad say would be tyranny. "I've followed Huckabee ever since I first heard of him," said Marcia Johnson, a Fort Dodge resident who attended the event. "He has never changed his mind on anything." Johnson said she plans on caucusing for Huckabee. Jim Oberhelman, Webster County chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, said projections he has seen for Webster County anticipate there will be 25 percent more participation than the last caucus. "Weather may dictate that," said Oberhelman, who does not endorse any candidates. After his speech, Huckabee took answers from the crowd. When a man asked where he stands on the Renewable Fuel Standard, Huckabee said he supports it….

"Candidate touts experience, laments political correctness"—Fort Dodge The Messenger

Nearly 11 years as the governor of Arkansas helped to prepare him to be president of the United States, Mike Huckabee told a group of Fort Dodge supporters Saturday. Governors, the Republican candidate said, "know what it is like to have to make tough decisions in a crisis"...The candidate, who was a Baptist minister for 12 years, said he's not a career politician financed by corporate donors…."I'm a guy that got fed up with a system that I saw walking all over people," he said. He said he's heartbroken by the deep divisions he sees in American politics today, and frustrated by the climate of political correctness. "We're turning this country into a politically correct warehouse of nonsense," he said. Huckabee said he wants to impose term limits on members of Congress and federal judges. He said Congress will never do that on its own, so he believes the states should press for a constitutional convention to impose that change. The president, he added, should ignore Supreme Court rulings that are unconstitutional. As an example, he cited the ruling which legalized same-sex marriage. He said if he's elected, he'll appoint an attorney general who will "start protecting human life from conception." The candidate said he supports the Renewable Fuels Standard, which he described as a government mandate that actually worked. He said it helped to drive fuel prices lower and stabilized the farm economy. The Renewable Fuels Standard requires a certain amount of ethanol to be used in the nation's gasoline supply…..Huckabee won the 2008 Republican caucus and on Saturday he raised the possibility that he'll repeat the feat this year. "There's always a surprise on caucus night," he said. "Just go ahead and prepare for another one." In a brief interview following his speech, Huckabee said national defense, preserving Social Security and taking care of veterans would be his budget priorities….He described his focus on veterans as "keeping our promise to the people who keep us free."

"Every breath of free air we all take is thanks to them," he said. The replacement of the income tax with a nationwide sales tax he calls the fair tax would be one of the major changes all Americans would see during a Huckabee administration, the candidate said….He added that he would secure the nation's borders in less than a year….Huckabee also said he would rebuild the nation's military. The candidate was joined by his wife, Janet….

"Huckabee expecting Iowa caucus voters to shock national media," Spencer Daily Reporter

Don Andrews, opened with prayer before introducing former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to a group gathered at the Terrazzo Coffeehouse in the Spencer Dream Center Friday morning. The GOP presidential candidate's visit kicked off a day of travel as part of his 150-city schedule with the Iowa caucus 10 days away. Huckabee kept the crowd laughing, reminding, "It's so cold ... by Feb. 1, it will probably be colder and there will probably be another foot of snow." He insisted that regardless of the conditions those who are going to caucus for him need to overcome any of nature's obstacles. He also suggested bringing a friend or family member on his behalf….He added, "If you're going to caucus for someone else, remember it's going to be very cold, and there could be another foot of snow. You might want to just stay home and watch it on TV." This marked Huckabee's second visit to Spencer during the campaign. The former Arkansas governor was joined by a longtime family friend who has joined Huckabee for these final days on the caucus trail, Debbie Hack, spoke to the audience about her support for Huckabee…."Mike is a leader. He has lead us as a pastor. He lead us as a governor. He doesn't lead from behind. ... His wants to be elected, but he wants you to see his heart," she said...Hack shared a story about talking to a young woman on the campaign trail yesterday who didn't know one person running for president. "The country is counting on you, get out and caucus," she said... "Shock the media in New York. They think they've got it figured out. It never works out like they tell it. Every four years the people of Iowa vote their conscience," he said. "There has never been a short cut to the Iowa caucus. If this year marks the first time someone can buy the election, it's the end of the Iowa caucus." After doing so well in the 2008 caucus, Huckabee said the country has economic and military issues, but he said an even bigger concern is the moral issue of the "uncivilized surgery that has become normal in America. In this country we kill 4,000 babies a day. How can we ask for ... or sing 'God Bless America?'" From an economic standpoint, he noted, "That's 60 million people who would be in the workforce." Huckabee fielded a series of questions while sitting on a stool on the coffeehouse stage. Questions covered the Affordable Healthcare Act, Syrian refugees, immigration, medical marijuana and his flat tax plan. The Arkansas native said he would focus health care dollars on a 10-year target to eradicate heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's with as much dedication as America demonstrated to put the first man on the moon and eliminate polio. "That's not a Democrat or a Republican issue," he said. "There's a lot of things we don't agree on, but we can agree on this. Let's go to work." Huckabee took time from his campaign topics to recognize the dream center, speaking about his relationship with Rev. Tommy Barnett and Matt Barnett who founded the dream center concept in Los Angeles. "It was the most amazing place I've ever been," he said of the West Coast outreach. "People who have no hope find there is hope when they get to know the Lord." "... And they do it without a dime from the government," Huckabee added….Addressing the Spencer Dream Center, the lone site not built in a metropolitan area, "What a blessing. It gives life. Pray for them. Support them. And be thankful to God they're in your community"….

"Huckabee: Prove pundits wrong again"—WCF Courier...Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee praised Iowans for ignoring the "talking heads in New York," who have already decided the Iowa caucuses before the first vote has been cast. And as the 2008 surprise winner in the Iowa caucuses, Huckabee also urged them to make up their own minds as they have in previous cycles. "I would love for you to just shove it up the nostrils of the national media on Feb. 1," Huckabee told a crowd of about 40 people at Jack & Arnie's Steakhouse in Reinbeck on Saturday, earning amens from the audience. "I like the independent, stubborn streak in Iowa farmers." Huckabee knows better than most that 10 days before the caucus is plenty of time to make his case to Iowans, and he spent his town hall Saturday showing he's got his own independent and stubborn streak. "If there is any short cut, I've never found it," Huckabee told The Courier after the event about winning over Iowans. "I've always believed that you don't win the caucus just by throwing a bunch of New York-raised money at TV and radio ads, that you have to go meet voters." It's a strategy that has worked before, particularly in Grundy County, where Huckabee won all seven precincts eight years ago as part of his 2008 win…...Amanda Aswegan, an organizer in Grundy County for Huckabee now and in 2008, said she's hoping for a repeat again in 10 days. "We've seen a lot of repeat support, but we certainly don't take it for granted, because there are a lot of candidates running this time," Aswegan said. "It's a week out; this is when we're starting to be serious about making a decision, so the timing of this event is great." Huckabee is holding 150 events across the state in the final month before the caucus and has so far completed about 80 of them. Huckabee contrasted himself with the other Republicans running, without naming them, in trying to make his final pitch to voters…..He said he is one of "only about three" contenders who are not getting their funding from Wall Street and blamed big money influences for why Republicans have seen so few changes even after electing members of their own party. "I think it's time to say that big money in politics has really corrupted our system," Huckabee said. "Folks, there's a bunch of politicians that have been bought and paid for by the same check writers." In answering one of several questions on saving Social Security, Huckabee also criticized the United States senators running for the presidency who he said have neglected doing their jobs. He proposed, to applause, that elected officials should resign their current position before running for the next one. "It's getting out of hand," Huckabee said. "People use their public paycheck so they can go campaign and ask for another job. If somebody wants to be a senator, they've asked for a six-year job; on their sixth minute in office, they turn around and start running for president, I just don't think that's fair to the taxpayers who sent them." Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul are all first-term senators who are running for the presidency. Donna Cannon of Reinbeck said she likes Huckabee because of his experience and would like him to be, if not the president, the vice president. Cannon said some of the other younger candidates are "brilliant" but could use a mentor like Huckabee before they're ready for the presidency. "He's got the heart. He's really got a good heart," Cannon said of Huckabee. "We need somebody like that."

"Defunding Planned Parenthood not enough, Huckabee says in Cedar Rapids"—Cedar Rapids Gazette - Taking a strong stand against abortion, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told the audience Sunday at an Iowa Right to Life event that he isn't satisfied with just ending government funding for Planned Parenthood. For more than 40 minutes…he said he'd put a stop to abortion — contrasting himself with other GOP candidates calling to defund the women's health provider. "If all a candidate can promise is stop funding to Planned Parenthood, that isn't enough for me. That's low-hanging fruit," Huckabee said. "Let's do something bolder than that. Let's stop abortion completely." Iowa Right to Life is the largest organization in the state opposing abortion rights…."I was very pleased with the turnout, and the messages Gov. Huckabee said," Executive Director of Iowa Right to Life Jenifer Bowen said. "It was a great opportunity for the people in the Cedar Rapids area to hear more about Gov. Huckabee's pro-life issues. I am very grateful he made the time to speak to our organization." Huckabee said he is passionate about the issue. "The question of protecting life transcends any political views I have," he said. "I have been involved in the pro-life movement far before I got into politics"... Giving him hope this time, he said, are the people who can still be persuaded in the week before the caucuses. "We have been going full throttle, calling supporters and making sure they will come and try to close the sale with as many people they can," Huckabee said. "We all know it's a last- minute decision for a lot of people." The day after Huckabee announced his campaign for presidency in May, he left for Iowa and has spent 65 days in the state, making stops in all 99 counties. "I have watched and listened to Gov. Huckabee for years. He is the only candidate that is walking the nearest on the path with my Lord," Craig Kroupa of Cedar Rapids said…