Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on Thursday endorsed state Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.
"We need a new generation of proven fiscal and social conservative leaders in the U.S. Senate and that is why I am proud to endorse and support my good friend, Mike Haridopolos, for the U.S. Senate in Florida," said Huckabee. "Mike will fight for our conservative values in Washington, just as he has done in leading the tremendous work of the Florida Senate."
"I am honored to have such a tremendous conservative leader like [former] Governor Huckabee stand with me and other Floridians to tell Washington that enough is enough," said Haridopolos, who had been a co-chair of Huckabees 2008 presidential campaign. "We've had enough of the broken promises, record borrowing, and deficits coming from the failed policies of Bill Nelson and Barack Obama.
Huckabee, who moved to Florida after seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, is considering running again for the GOP nod in 2012. He placed fourth in the 2008 primary, winning four counties in the northern part of the state and taking less than 13.5 percent of the vote. Huckabee has been active in Florida, backing candidates in both the Republican primaries and the general election during the 2010 campaign cycle. While Huckabee garnered some success by backing the U.S. Senate ambitions of Marco Rubio and Dan Webster for Congress, he also missed when he endorsed primary losers Bill McCollum for governor and Karen Diebel for Congress.
Huckabee and his wife also made personal contributions to the Haridopolos campaign.
"Janet and I have contributed the maximum possible contribution to Mike's campaign because we believe in him and are thrilled that someone with his integrity and solid record of conservative reform is willing to take on the Goliath of Washington failure," said Huckabee.
Haridopolos faces a potentially crowded field of candidates standing in his way for the Republican nomination. Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner and businessman and retired Army officer Mike McCalister, who took more than 10 percent in the Republican gubernatorial primary last year, have already launched bids of their own. Other candidates, including U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan and former Ruth's Chris CEO Craig Miller, are still considering entering the race.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
