Huckabee Endorses Recently Pro-choice John Parke
Gov. Mike Huckabee today issued an endorsement that can only be seen as a pay back for a long time critic. Through his Political Action Committee – HuckPAC – he announced that he was endorsing Republican John Parke for District 31 who is running against David Sanders. Sanders has written columns criticizing Huckabee in the past.
What makes this endorsement odd is that only recently Parke was unapologetically pro-choice. He made this clear in his response to Arkansas Right to Life for their voter guide in 2004. This is a clear example of Gov. Huckabee holding a grudge and using his political action committee for political paybacks instead of endorsing based on candidates that represent the values he champions.
If Gov. Huckabee does not want to support the pro-life candidate in this race because of an old axe to grind, that is fine but to support John Parke in the primary when his stance of the issue of life is so questionable is beyond the pale. Parke’s election year conversion is the exact same thing that Gov. Huckabee criticized Mitt Romney for doing.
I have always respected Gov. Huckabee for his strong support of pro-life issues and do not understand how he can make this endorsement. I have contacted HuckPAC for their explanation and will let you know if they respond.
Sanders today also announced some key endorsement within District 31 from Justice of the Peace Doug Reed and Barbara Howell and Saline County Judge Lanny Fite.
UPDATE – Sarah Huckabee, executive director of HuckPAC, passes on this note.
“Our endorsement of John Parke has nothing to do with political grudges, but has everything to do with helping elect the best candidate in the race. I have personally spoken with John several times about this issue and I believe his heart and his belief that every life is sacred is sincere. If we had any question about where John stood on the life issue he would not have received an endorsement from Huck PAC.”
So it looks like the election year conversion was enough to convince them that Parke is alright. I suppose we will have to take their word for this explanation of a rare primary endorsement over a candidate with a long track record of being pro-life.
Also, Max Brantley points out that Parke’s son worked on the Huckabee Presidential campaign.
Tags: 2010 Candidates
January 26th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
2 things. (1) scream and cry all you want. Politics is petty no matter how you cut it.
(2) Sanders’ endorsements mean more.
January 26th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Huckabee is a low-life.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
We now know why Barack Obama has managed to do in a year what Huckabee couldn’t do in 10: grow the Republican party in the state.
My thoughts on Huckabee have nothing do with Parke or Sanders. I like both.
I’m all about a little pettiness, just don’t do it hiding behind a pulpit.
January 26th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Is David Sanders really pro-life?
If I heard him correctly on the Dave Elswick show today he said that as a reporter he went into an Abortion clinic and witnessed pre-abortion counseling and the actual procedure.
If that is true I question whether David Sanders is pro-life.
As a pro-life person even as a reporter I would not set foot in an Abortion clinic, and if I did I would do everything I could to prevent the loss of a life.
My question for David Sanders is when he was in the Abortion clinic did he do everything that he could do to prevent the loss of life.
If we are going to question Parke about his pro-life stance we need to get a full explanation of what David Sanders was doing in an abortion clinic as a reporter.
Tolbert Note – Sanders is most definately pro-life. Here is the report he filed on his visit to the abortion clinic.
http://arkansasnews.com/2006/01/21/visit-with-a-fayetteville-doctor/
http://arkansasnews.com/2006/01/24/abortion-and-the-side-issues/
January 26th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
This is really stunning. Parke seems like a nice enough guy, but being pro-choice in 2004 and converting now in an election year is questionable at best. And you’re absolutely right Jason–this is pure politics. It flies in the face of everything Huckabee has stood for and I think people will see it for what it is. I am shocked at the response of some Huckabee supporters I know. They literally think Huckabee is infallible. And you’re also right–this is EXACTLY the kind of political expediency that Huckabee excoriated Mitt Romney for. Unbelievable.
January 27th, 2010 at 12:38 am
No surprise here. This is SOP for Huckabee. The end justifies the means. He(and a few others) is why Arkansas is the last Southern state to be taken over by conservatives. That will change in November though. These business as usual establishment(I know I know it doesn’t exist here in AR
folks are trying to hang on to power in the rpa for as long as they can.
January 27th, 2010 at 9:50 am
I find it sad that some of these people truly believe the RPA has any real power.
January 27th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
I am a member of Huck Pac and strong supporter of Gov. Huckabee, and have never known him to endorse a candidate who is not pro-life. I feel certain he would not waste his time to endorse anyone just to get revenge–that is the mentality of a very immature person.
January 28th, 2010 at 12:04 am
mxnwilson – Thanks for the comment but please review the links I have from the Right to Life voter guide and the audio linked where Parke discusses his recent change. He now claims to be pro-life but this is a very recent change.