Mike Huckabee

===Governor of Arkansas, 1996–2007===
{{Main|Governorship of Mike Huckabee}}
[[File:Opening Ceremonies of the Big Dam Bridge with Gov. Mike Huckabee.jpg|thumb|Governor Huckabee at Opening Ceremonies of the [[Big Dam Bridge]]]]
In May 1996, Tucker was convicted "on one count of arranging nearly $3 million in fraudulent loans" as part of the [[Whitewater controversy]]. The [[Arkansas Constitution]], like nearly all state constitutions in the United States, does not allow convicted felons to hold office. Tucker thus promised to resign by July 15.<ref name = "Barone 136–137"/> Huckabee then announced he would quit the Senate race and instead fill the unexpired term of Tucker.<ref name="KevinSack">{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9905EEDB1E39F932A05756C0A960958260 |title=Arkansan Quits Senate Race to Lead State |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |last=Sack |first=Kevin |date=May 31, 1996}}</ref> However, Tucker, insisting he had a strong case for appeal,<ref name="Barone 44">{{cite book |title=The Almanac of American Politics |last=Barone |first=Michael |author2=Grant Ujifusa |year=1999 |work=[[National Journal]] |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=0-8129-3194-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/almanacofamerica00/page/44 44] |url=https://archive.org/details/almanacofamerica00/page/44 }}</ref> rescinded his resignation as Huckabee was preparing to be sworn in on July 15. Within a few hours, Tucker reinstated his resignation after Huckabee and the legislature threatened to initiate [[impeachment]] proceedings against Tucker.<ref name="scottparks"/> Huckabee was then duly sworn in as governor.

In [[1998 Arkansas gubernatorial election|November 1998]], Huckabee was elected to a full four-year term by defeating retired colonel Gene McVay in the primary and Jonesboro attorney and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] candidate Bill Bristow in the general election, becoming the state's third elected Republican governor since Reconstruction.
According to a CNN exit poll, Huckabee received 48% of the African American vote in his 1998 election;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/01/could_mike_huckabee_be_america_1.asp |title=Could Mike Huckabee be America's Second Black President? |last=Faughnahan |first=Brian |date=January 15, 2008 |publisher=[[The Weekly Standard]] |access-date=January 7, 2015}}</ref> but some experts have questioned whether those numbers are a representative sample on how he did on the whole in the election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ahead of debate, Huckabee's claim of black support questioned|url=http://archives.arkansasnews.com/2007/09/26/ahead-of-debate-huckabees-claim-of-black-support-questioned/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923194725/http://archives.arkansasnews.com/2007/09/26/ahead-of-debate-huckabees-claim-of-black-support-questioned/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2015|newspaper=[[Arkansas News]]|date=September 26, 2007}}</ref>

In 2001, Huckabee was named "Friend of a Taxpayer" by [[Americans for Tax Reform]] for his cut in statewide spending.<ref name="Jennrubin">{{Cite web|author=[[Jennifer Rubin (journalist)|Jennifer Rubin]]|date=February 12, 2007|title=Taxing Claims: Is Mike Huckabee an "authentic conservative"?|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/219944/taxing-claims/jennifer-rubin|access-date=January 9, 2015|publisher=[[National Review]]}}</ref>

In November 2002, Huckabee was reelected to his 2nd 4-year term by defeating State Treasurer [[Jimmie Lou Fisher]], garnering 53 percent of the vote. His reelection came despite the defeat in the general election of fellow Republican [[U.S. Senator]] [[Tim Hutchinson]].

Huckabee received widespread praise for his state's rapid response to Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named him one of the five best governors in the U.S., writing "Huckabee has approached his state's troubles with energy and innovation" and referred to him as "a mature, consensus-building conservative who earns praise from fellow Evangelicals and, occasionally, liberal Democrats."<ref name="time">{{Cite magazine |title=America's 5 Best Governors |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1129494,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051124053404/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1129494,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 24, 2005 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=November 13, 2005}}</ref> ''[[Governing (magazine)|Governing]]'' magazine likewise honored Huckabee as one of its 2005 Public Officials of the Year.<ref name="governing">{{cite web|last=Greenblatt|first=Alan|title=Public Officials of the Year: Mike Huckabee|url=http://www.governing.com/poy/Mike-Huckabee.html|access-date=January 8, 2015|work=[[Governing (magazine)|Governing]]|date=April 15, 2010}}</ref> Additionally, he was among those legislators given the APHA Distinguished Public Health Legislator of the Year Award by the [[American Public Health Association]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Previous APHA Distinguished Legislator of the Year Award Winners|url=http://www.apha.org/about-apha/apha-awards/apha-distinguished-public-health-legislator-of-the-year-award/previous-apha-distinguished-legislator-of-the-year-award-winners|access-date=January 10, 2015|website=[[American Public Health Association]]}}</ref> for that same year.

In 2006, he was presented with [[AARP]]'s Impact Award for his health initiatives.<ref>{{Cite web|title=OASIS awards and achievements|url=http://www.oasisnet.org/AboutUs/History/Awards.aspx|access-date=January 10, 2015|publisher=OasisNet|archive-date=January 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110192238/http://www.oasisnet.org/AboutUs/History/Awards.aspx|url-status=dead}}<br />{{Cite web|date=August 20, 2009|title=Inspire Awards 2006 Honorees: Governor Mike Huckabee, Health Crusader|url=http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2005/impact_awards_huck.html|access-date=January 10, 2015|publisher=[[AARP]]}}</ref>

In December 2008, Huckabee became an honorary member of [[Tau Kappa Epsilon]] fraternity. He said that did not have time to join a fraternity in college because he had to "cram four years into a little more than two". The fraternity's CEO said they were "very impressed with his character and the initiatives he headed" as governor.<ref>{{cite news|date=December 13, 2006|title=Arkansas Gov. Huckabee Joins a Fraternity|work=Fox News|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/arkansas-gov-huckabee-joins-a-fraternity|access-date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>

By the end of his term, Huckabee held the 3rd-longest tenure of any Arkansas governor. Only Democrats [[Orval Faubus]], who served 6 consecutive 2-year terms (1955–1967), and [[Bill Clinton]], who served 11 years, 11 months (1979–1981; 1983–1992), had longer tenures.

During his tenure as governor, Huckabee supported tax reforms including tax cuts and increases, that netted $505 million for the state.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/huckabee-in-tax-war-as-ex-governor-launches-white-house-bid-2015-05-05 |title= Huckabee in tax war as ex-governor launches White House bid |last1=Schroeder |first1=Robert |date=May 5, 2015 |publisher=[[MarketWatch]] |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> According to columnist [[Margaret Carlson]], that money was used to improve roads, health care and schools in the state.<ref>Carlson, Margaret. [http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-01-07/bush-and-huckabee-get-ready-for-war "Bush and Huckabee Get Ready for War"], [[Bloomberg View]] (January 7, 2015): "He raised taxes to improve schools, roads and health care in Arkansas."</ref>

====Clemencies====
{{Further|2009 Lakewood shooting|Wayne DuMond|Maurice Clemmons}}

As governor, Huckabee commuted and accepted recommendations for pardon for twice as many sentences as his 3 predecessors combined; in total: 1,033 prisoners.<ref name=" DeMillo ">{{cite news | url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-12-10-huckabee-pardons_N.htm|title= Huckabee Pardons Under Scrutiny |last= DeMillo| first=Andrew |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |agency= Associated Press|date=December 10, 2007|access-date=December 6, 2009}}</ref> Twelve had previously been convicted of murder.<ref name=" Tapper ">{{cite news | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=3983797&page=1|title= Huckabee's Plethora of Pardons, Former Arkansas Governor Faces Scrutiny for Having a Forgiving Spirit|last= Tapper|first= Jake |publisher=[[ABC News]] |date=December 11, 2007|access-date=December 6, 2009}}</ref> Though Huckabee pardoned more than his predecessors, the state prison size and number of people executed were greater as well,<ref>Associated Press (December 10, 2007). [http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/12/10/mike-huckabee-clemency-record-is-under-scrutiny Mike Huckabee's Clemency Record Is Under Scrutiny.] Fox News. Retrieved January 6, 2015.</ref> Huckabee denied 92% of all clemency requests during his 10.5 years as governor.<ref name="responsibility">{{Cite web |title=Huckabee: 'I take full responsibility" for shooting suspect's clemency - CNN.com |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/01/washington.police.huckabee/index.html?iref=24hours |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=edition.cnn.com |language=en}}</ref> Most pardons and commutations were not for prisoners but for those whose sentences had ended and who were seeking work.<ref>Adair, B. (December 28, 2007). [http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2007/dec/28/mitt-romney/yes-huckabee-pardoned-many/ Yes, Huckabee Pardoned Many.] PolitiFact. Retrieved January 6, 2015.<br />Tapper, J. (December 11, 2007). [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=3983797&page=1&singlePage=true Huckabee's Plethora of Pardons.] ABC News. Retrieved January 6, 2015.</ref> Huckabee's pardons and commutations became an issue during the [[Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008|2008 Republican Primary]], with most of the controversy focusing on [[Wayne Dumond]].<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-12-10-huckabee-pardons_N.htm|title= Huckabee Pardons Under Scrutiny |last= DeMillo| first=Andrew |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |agency= Associated Press|date=December 10, 2007|access-date=December 6, 2009}}<br />{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/huckabee-freed-criminals/story?id=9207095 |title=Huckabee Helped Set Rapist Free Who Later Killed Missouri Woman |last=Schone |first=Mark |date=November 30, 2009 |publisher=[[ABC News]] |access-date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>

Huckabee's handling of clemency petitions received national attention in November 2009 with the case of [[Maurice Clemmons]], who had committed burglary without a weapon at 16. The Prison Transfer Board unanimously requested a sentence commutation for Clemmons as did the trial judge.<ref name=responsibility/> Clemmons's 60-year sentence was commuted by Huckabee to 47 years, making him eligible for parole if approved by the parole board. After parole in 2000, Clemmons was arrested for multiple offenses including [[child molestation]] and [[aggravated assault]] but was released after prosecutors declined to file charges. After Clemmons murdered four police officers in [[Lakewood, Washington]], a two-day manhunt ensued, and Clemmons was shot and killed by a [[Seattle Police Department]] officer after refusing police orders to stop charging the officer.<ref name="SeaTimes01Dec">{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010393433_webarrest01m.html |title=Lakewood police shooting suspect killed by Seattle police officer in South Seattle early this morning |last=Sullivan |first=Jennifer |author2=Mark Rahner |author3=Jack Broom |date=December 1, 2009 |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |access-date=December 1, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091204124651/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010393433_webarrest01m.html |archive-date=December 4, 2009 }}</ref> In his book about the shooting, ''The Other Side of Mercy'', Jonathan Martin of ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' wrote that Huckabee apparently failed to review Clemmons's prison file, which was "thick with acts of violence and absent indications of rehabilitation".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/opinionnw/2013/12/18/mike-huckabees-maurice-clemmons-problem/|title=Mike Huckabee's Maurice Clemmons problem|last=Martin|first=Jonathan|publisher=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=December 18, 2013|access-date=January 4, 2015|archive-date=April 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140402154503/http://blogs.seattletimes.com/opinionnw/2013/12/18/mike-huckabees-maurice-clemmons-problem/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Huckabee defended his actions, stating that the recommendation to reduce the sentence was unanimous and supported by the trial judge, that the decision to parole him was made by the parole board, not him, and that Clemmons had been re-arrested and the decision not to file charges then had nothing to do with him.<ref>Huckabee, M. (December 1, 2009). [http://humanevents.com/2009/12/01/washington-state-tragedy Washington State Tragedy.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124171143/https://humanevents.com/2009/12/01/washington-state-tragedy/ |date=November 24, 2020 }} ''Human Events.'' Retrieved January 6, 2015.<br />Smith, B. (October 18, 2010). [http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1010/Huckabees_clemency.html Huckabee's Clemency.] ''Politico''. Retrieved January 6, 2015.<br />{{cite news |last=Sterling |first=Amanda |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/01/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5854298.shtml |title=Huckabee Calls Criticisms Over Clemency "Disgusting" – Political Hotsheet |publisher=[[CBS News]] |date=December 1, 2009 |access-date=June 13, 2010 }}</ref><ref name="ST1129">{{Cite news|title=Suspect let out of Pierce County jail one week ago |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |location=[[Seattle, Washington]] |date=November 29, 2009 |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010386501_clemmons30m.html |access-date=November 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203102157/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010386501_clemmons30m.html |archive-date=December 3, 2009 }}</ref>