Redstate

When did Frist decide to run for Governor?

And let's not guarantee anything just yet. Unless he governs his state better than he led the Senate caucus the only short lists he'll be on are for his first career in medicine.

Even if Frist does run for governor, he'll have to wait until 2010 to do it, as the Democratic incumbent just won reelection last year. That means Frist would have to wait until the 2016 election at the earliest if he wants to go in it as a governor, as its unlikely he'd run after only serving two years as governor.

And of course, hopefully there will be an incumbent Republican running for reelection in 2012 anyway.

I think if he has another lackluster quarter in 2Q, he might actually consider the switch. That would definitely still be enough time. However, after 3Q (and esp. after 4Q) he would start late in the game and he would bring the baggage of a "failed Presidential campaign."

He has some time to still switch, but the sooner the better.

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Bobby Jindal Saves Louisiana

And Huckabee's not so great on those either, with the probable exception of being a SoCon.

Here's a guy who seems to think government CAN solve problems and he never met a tax he didn't like, tax pledge or not.
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Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

A lot of SoCons care a heck of a lot about things like taxes, the size and intrusiveness of the government, and immigration. I don't see him as any kind of standard bearer for SoCons. You could make a much better case for Brownback there. I'm also not sure how Huckabee is any more appealing than Brownback, except maybe for the fact that he is less well known.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

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Bobby Jindal Saves Louisiana

Arkansas is not extensively polled at the state level, though it's better than it used to be. I also don't think it would be appropriate to poll on such a speculative and distant race at this time.

I do believe (but I cannot find a link) that Huckabee has said he has no interest in challenging Pryor. Of course such statements are among the most empty statements a politician can make, but I think there may be good reasons for Huckabee to be wary of challenging a very popular Mark Pryor. I thing your best bet for seeing Huckabee run for Senate would be in 2010 against Blanche Lincoln.

The Republican Party in this state is in something of a shambles, but Huckabee is probably not well equipped to bring it back. As governor, Huckabee could not always count on support from his own party on a large number of issues. During his tenure as governor, the state party in fact weakened even as Republicans gained strength in the rest of the country. Recall that Pryor defeated an incumbent Republican in 2002, the only Democrat to do that in that year. Things have only gotten worse for Republicans in this state since then.

Don't you think the 40% support among Republicans in his home state is something of a telling number? It seems quite low to me.

I do believe (but I cannot find a link) that Huckabee has said he has no interest in challenging Pryor.

I'm sure I've heard this as well. There was a Huckabee blog on RS recently that contained the link. Huckabee said he would not run for Senator against Pryor no matter what happened in his presidential run. He was very definite. Of course, you would expect him to say something like this, so I don't know how much stock to put into it. IIRC, he also favorably commented on Pryor.

as long as he is running for President. Presidential candidates traditionally disavow interest in the VPOTUS slot, too. Not sure who the last to turn it down, was, though. Ford in 1980? And that was only because he set very high conditions.

If Huckabee's campaign stumbles while there is still time for him to switch horses, he might just do it.

Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net

International Editor of

He also says that he thinks he has a chance to be President. Neither statement is true.

Compare Jindal to Huckabee. Jindal wants to be GOV, period. His first race ever was for GOV. He worked in state government (head of HHS and head of the University System). He then ran for Congress while preparing to run for GOV again. He never wanted to be in Congress or in the SEN. Further, he polls ahead of every possible D for GOV. There is no chance of convincing him to run for SEN.

Huckabee ran for SEN in 1992 so he has some interest in the position. He is behind, by far, in all polls and the money race for President. He can't honestly think he has a chance of winning. Perhaps he wants get a cabinet spot. But there is much more hope that he will give up the quixotic campaign and decide that he can have a good impact on the country as a Senator (which he tried to do 15 years ago).

Thus, I think Huckabee can be convinced although Jindal can (and should) not be convinced.

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Bobby Jindal Saves Louisiana

Just wondering.

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Bobby Jindal Saves Louisiana

A number of profiles that I have read about him say that he's more of a "salvation" as opposed to a "damnation" religious candidate. He also did a great deal to battle child-obesity in Arkansas.

It was this quote in Particular that caught my eye, from Joe Klien's Time aretcle:

"I'm a 'grace' Christian," Huckabee told me over lunch recently, "not a 'law' Christian. The Second Commandment--do unto others--is the basic tenet of my faith. And so I believe that life begins at conception, but I don't believe it ends at birth. I believe we have a responsibility to feed the hungry, to provide a good education, a safe neighborhood, health care ... That's why I talk so much about the need for music and art programs in our schools. I know some conservatives think it's foolish, but I just believe it's necessary to build whole, creative individuals."