Mike Huckabee

===Race relations===

According to a [[CNN]] exit poll, Huckabee won 48% of African American votes in his successful 1998 gubernatorial race in Arkansas.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/1998/states/AR/G/exit.poll.html "Arkansas Governor: 844 respondents"], CNN (November 4, 1998).</ref> The 48% figure is often disputed due to the exit poll's small sample size.<ref>[https://www.vox.com/2016/8/1/12338538/gop-attract-black-voters "Can the GOP attract black voters?"], Vox (August 1, 2016).</ref> Huckabee says that it is important for Republicans such as himself to reach out to black voters, and in 2015, he ramped up efforts to win those votes.<ref name=Ashley>Killough, Ashley. [http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/16/politics/mike-huckabee-african-americans-voters-elections/ "Mike Huckabee ramps up push for African-American voters"], CNN (July 16, 2015).</ref>

In 2015, on an episode of ''[[Meet the Press]]'', Huckabee stated that the [[Modern display of the Confederate battle flag|confederate flag issue]] was for South Carolinians to decide, "not an issue for a person running for president", and days later, he congratulated Gov. [[Nikki Haley]] on her decision to support the removal of the flag from the state capitol.<ref name=Ashley /> Huckabee gave a speech at the [[2008 Republican National Convention]] that included this: "I say with sincerity that I have great respect for Senator Obama's historic achievement to become his party's nominee—not because of his color, but with indifference to it. Party or politics aside, we celebrate this milestone because it elevates our country."<ref>"Huckabee assails media coverage of GOP", [[NBC News]] (September 4, 2008).</ref>