I just got this email from Mike Huckabee…

Last night was a reminder of what a tough year this will be for Republicans. The loss of the Congressional seat in Mississippi was tough. We had a great candidate, but the Democrat very effectively ran as a pro life, pro 2nd amendment conservative. I’m convinced that for the GOP to have wins this year we have to focus on specific issues and not party building (for us) or party bashing (against them).

What do you think the GOP needs to do to reverse the slide in support and start winning elections? LINK

You know, Mike. A few months ago, you spent a great deal of time talking about Vertical Politics: policies and issues which were neither right nor left, but were about lifting everyone up. Is was an effective message. We conservatives truly believe that conservative principles are the very essence of Vertical Politics. The abandonment of conservative principles by the Republican Party is the main reason for the election losses.

There’s more.

High gas prices, the war, and the overall general funk that I tie up in a neat little ball called “Bush Fatigue.” The general public blames the Republicans for all of the ills in the world, and the President won’t defend himself or the Party. And even when he tries, he is so inarticulate that we cringe every time he steps up to the microphone.

Mike, we’ve been waiting to go on offense since the budget battle of ‘96. But, one by one, we’ve watched our leadership get picked off by a sex or money scandal, and all our time has been spent on defense. And then we get junk coming out of the Congress like Foley, Abramoff, Delay, Ney, and Cunningham… and uncontrolled spending, and bigger and more obtrusive government programs … illegal immigration out the wazoo, and the President, as well as our presumptive nominee, on record as supporting a path to citizenship for those who have entered here illegally (just doing jobs Americans won’t do, my foot), even going so far as to tie the hands of the border enforcement agents charged with a near impossible and thankless task. The fact that Compean and Ramos are still in a jail cell irks us to no end.

The fact is, we’re mad, Mike. But not so much at the Democrats. They aren’t doing anything that we don’t expect out of them. They’ve behaved disgustingly, and continue to do so. No, we’re mad at the Republicans for not carrying the fight to the Democrats. We vote for men and women who promise to fight the good fight when they are back home campaigning, but when they get to DC, they seem to be interested only in being liked by the opposition, lining their pockets, or getting their groove on. Our elected representatives have refused to stand up and fight for our principles, and we don’t see any real advantage to returning them to DC.

I’m going to tell you something else, Mike. If John McCain doesn’t get off this global warming kick, he’s going to need a heck of a lot of crossover voters in order to win — because there are a whole bunch of us who will not vote for him if he stabs us in the back. Again.

H/T 11smithsforhuckabee

The latest polling from ARG shows a statistical tie heading into tomorrow’s Wisconsin primary.

TCUL poll of likely voters shows a similar result in Texas 3/4 primary.

Ohio, also March 4, is all over the map. Best estimate is McCain by double digits.

Mississippi’s primary is scheduled for 3/10. But, if Huck doesn’t pull off his miracle, the primary will be meaningless.

Most everyone believes the race is already over, so why is Huck holding out?

“Remember the Republican nominee must have 1,191 votes to claim the nomination or else there will be a brokered convention where the Party’s top candidates will have an opportunity to make an impassioned plea as to why they are the best choice to represent the Republican Party in the fall against the Democrat candidate.

Before we get to a brokered convention however we will need to win Texas and seize the momentum.”

The odds are long, and Huck is running uphill and against a strong headwind. If Huck takes Wisconsin, the race continues to Texas and Ohio. It might also mean a head to head debate with McCain. I would truly love to see that.

h/t wp

Here is a great explanation of Defending the Right to Keep and Bear Arms from Mike Huckabee.

Here is how “The Maverick” John McCain Defends the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

See the difference?

Now, Go Forth, and VOTE!!!