Huckabee: Third-party conservatives benefit liberals

Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 11/5/2009 7:00:00 AM

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is explaining his decision not to endorse a candidate in the special election that was decided Tuesday night in New York's 23rd Congressional District.

Unlike other potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates like Tim Pawlenty and Sarah Palin, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee chose not to endorse Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who lost to Democrat Bill Owens by four points.
 
Huckabee tells OneNewsNow that more than a year ago, he agreed to be the speaker at an awards dinner for the Conservative Party in Syracuse. At that time, he says, Party officials specifically asked him not to get involved in the race, so he honored that commitment.
 
In addition to that, Huckabee says there is another reason why he did not endorse Hoffman.
 
"I'm not a guy that believes that we typically are going to do very well by supporting third-party, independent candidates -- and I think we saw that in New Jersey. Chris Christie almost lost his bid [for governor of New Jersey] because of the presence of an independent," Huckabee notes.

"Historically, independent third-party candidates don't win -- they spoil. And what really becomes evident is that the people who split their vote, if you have a third-party person who says, 'I'm more conservative,' then what happens [is] the conservatives tend to split, and the liberal ends up winning."
 
Huckabee, who characterizes what unfolded in New York as a "train wreck," is quick to point out that he never would have supported liberal Republican DeDe Scozzafava in the 23rd District race because of her stance on "life, marriage, taxes, and unions."

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