Mike Huckabee

===2016 presidential campaign===
{{main|Mike Huckabee 2016 presidential campaign}}
{{See also|2016 United States presidential election}}
[[File:Mike Huckabee by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg|left|thumb|Huckabee speaking at 2014 [[Conservative Political Action Conference]] (CPAC) in Maryland]]
Political commentators speculated that Huckabee might be ready for another presidential run in 2016. He was limited by a lack of money in 2008 but with changes to federal election law allowing [[SuperPAC]]s to pour large sums of money into a race he might be better positioned to stay in the race.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 13, 2013 |last=Grier |first=Peter |title=Mike Huckabee 2016: New wildcard in the GOP race? |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Wire/2013/1213/Mike-Huckabee-2016-New-wildcard-in-the-GOP-race |newspaper= [[The Christian Science Monitor]] |access-date=January 6, 2015}}</ref> Huckabee has in addition earned personal wealth since 2008 on the lecture circuit and his TV and radio shows. He ended his daily radio show in December 2013, which strengthened speculations about a presidential bid.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mike-huckabee-sounds-a-lot-like-hes-running-for-president-in-2016/2013/12/13/090ab36a-6386-11e3-a373-0f9f2d1c2b61_story.html | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | first=Karen | last=Tumulty | title=Mike Huckabee sounds a lot like he's running for president in 2016 | date=December 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=In Iowa, Mike Huckabee Is Making Moves {{!}} RealClearPolitics |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2014/10/23/in_iowa_mike_huckabee_is_making_moves__124401-full.html |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.realclearpolitics.com}}</ref>

Huckabee indicated in September 2014 that he would make the decision on whether to run early in 2015.<ref>Alexandra Jaffe (September 15, 2014) [https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/217759-huckabee-inching-closer-to-2016-run/ Huckabee inching closer to 2016 run] The Hill.</ref> In January 2015, Huckabee ended his show on FNC to prepare for his possible run in the 2016 presidential election.<ref name="stelter"/> On March 30, 2015, Huckabee supporters launched a Super PAC to make preparations for his run for the presidential ticket in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iowa Operative Will Run Mike Huckabee Super PAC| date=April 2, 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/04/02/iowa-operative-will-run-mike-huckabee-super-pac/?_r=0}}</ref>

On May 5, 2015, in his hometown of [[Hope, Arkansas]], Huckabee announced a campaign to seek the [[2016 Republican Party presidential primaries|Republican nomination]] for [[president of the United States]] in the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 election]].<ref name=Gabriel>Gabriel, Trip. [https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/us/politics/mike-huckabee-running-in-republican-presidential-primary.html "Mike Huckabee Joins Republican Presidential Race"], ''[[The New York Times]]'' (May 5, 2015).</ref> In his speech, Huckabee attacked trade deals that he said drive down U.S. wages, opposed raising the age for Social Security benefits, criticized President Obama for what he said was putting more pressure on Israel than [[Iran]], and made an unusual plea for donations of $15 or $25 a month, saying: "I will ask you to give something in the name of your children and grandchildren."<ref name=Gabriel />

On February 1, 2016, after a disappointing showing in the [[Iowa]] caucus Huckabee decided that he was going to suspend his campaign.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rafferty|first=Andrew|date=February 1, 2016|title=Mike Huckabee Suspends Presidential Campaign|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/mike-huckabee-suspends-presidential-campaign-n509306|access-date=October 12, 2020|website=NBC News|language=en}}</ref>