Mike Huckabee - 44th Governor of Arkansas

Michael Dale Huckabee is a Christian minister who served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. Mike was also a candidate for the Republican Party presidential nomination in both 2008 and 2016. In 2008 Republican Presidential primaries, Huckabee won Lowa Republican caucuses. And went to be second in the delegate count where he stood third in the popular vote.

Early life

Mike Huckabee is the son of Dorsey Wiles Huckabee and Mae (Elder) Huckabee. He was born on August 24, 1955, in Hope, Arkansas. Pat Harris is his only sibling. Huckabee has ancestry roots of English, German and Scots-Irish. His first job was at 14 of his age in a radio station where he used to read news and weather.

Talking about his education, he graduated from Ouachita Baptist University on May 8, 1978, completing his Bachelor’s degree in religion before attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Afterward, he drops out of seminary after one in order to take a job in Christian broadcasting. He did his schooling at Hope High school where he was student council vice president during 1971-72 and student council president during the 1972-73 School years.

Career

At the age of 21, Huckabee was staff for televangelist James Robinson. He served as pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas from 1980 to 1986. Huckabee also started 24-hour television stations in Pine Bluff and Texarkana where he used to produce documentaries and hosted programs. In the mid-1980s, he began to encourage the all-white Immanuel Baptist Church to accept the black members.

Mike Huckabee’s first political race started in 1992 where he lost to incumbent Democratic Senator Dale Bumpers. Realizing his loss, Huckabee was urged to run a special election for lieutenant governor held on July 27. Where he defeated Nate Coulter to become second republican since reconstruction to serve as Arkansas lieutenant governor. In 1994 Huckabee was re-elected to a full term as lieutenant governor defeating Charlie Cole with nearly 59% percent of the vote. In October 1995, he was retiring from United States Senate. Then, he announced for an open seat and moved ahead in the polls but again dropped out of the race to lead the state.

In the year of 1996, Mike Huckabee campaigned in televised ads paid for by the Republican National Committee. After the failure of the tucker span as a governor, he was sworn as the governor of Arkansas. In November 1998, Huckabee was elected as a full four-year term by defeating retired Colonel McVay. Again in 2002, he was re-elected to his second full-four year term. He received widespread praise from the state’s people due to his state’s rapid response to Hurricane Katrina. By the end of his term, Huckabee held third-longest tenure as an Arkansas governor.

Huckabee also handled clemency petitions which received national attention in November 2009. In 2008, Huckabee also ran for the presidential election campaign. On January 3, 2008, Huckabee won the Lowa Republican Caucuses receiving 34% of the electorate. He finished second place and fourth place in South Carolina Republican Primary and Florida Primary respectively.

Net worth

Mike Huckabee has an estimated net worth of over $10 million dollars. He received up to $500 thousand salaries annually. He has accumulated his fortune from his very successful career as a politician. His other sources of income have been from his career as a radio presenter, and also joining various committees. He has a home in Destin, Florida which assets up to $3 million in 2010 which surely raised up to date.

Personal life

46 yrs ago today @janethuckabee & I married in her house in Hope, AR b/c we couldn’t afford big wedding. She’s survived spinal cancer, 3 kids, 6 grandkids & many adventures. Today she’s in midst of 8 wks in wheelchair due to broken ankle and surgery. Happy Anniv! (It WAS 70’s!) pic.twitter.com/6sOjffsvJk

— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) May 25, 2020

He Janet McCain Huckabee in 1974 and has three children- John Mark Huckabee, David Huckabee, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders.. Sarah served two years as President Donald Trump’s White House Press Secretary.

Huckabee had various aspects of interest. He used to play electric bass guitar in his classic rock band. When he was elected as governor of Arkansas, Huckabee was obese. Huckabee has been diagnosed with 2 different diabetes. So, he was asked to lose excess weight or he would not live more than 10 years. At that time, Huckabee almost weighed 300 pounds. Huckabee stated that he hadn’t smoked nor drank. In 2005 the little Rock Marathon competition, he completed it at 4:38:31.

His books and recent doing

Mike Huckabee has written and also co-authored several books. These books include ‘Do The Right Thing: Inside the Movement’, ‘That’s Bringing Common Sense Back to America’ which became a New York Times Bestseller. He resigned from the Country Music Association Foundation board of directors in 2018.