VP Madness: Voters Heart Huckabee
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is the man voters in CQ's VP Madness game picked as the best running mate choice for Republican nominee John McCain. View the final bracket here.
(Unfortch, Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison was knocked out in the Elite Eight by Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty. Governor Rick Perry lost in the first round to Alaska's Sarah Palin.)
On Huckabee:
Huckabee's backers have touted his executive experience -- he served more than a decade (1996-2007) as governor of Arkansas. He's articulate and likeable, and he campaigned respectfully against McCain and eschewed scorched-earth tactics. McCain has made it clear that he's looking for a much younger ticket-mate, and Huckabee will turn 53 a few days before McCain turns 72. Huckabee's social-issue conservatism could help McCain assuage some activists on the political right hold about the independent-minded Arizonan.
The poll was hijacked by an organized Huckabee campaign; real winner is Sarah Palin. Also, Jindal (and Crist) are good Governors, but it’s a no-brainer that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is the best Veep pick for McCain.