Romney Campaign Press Release - The Washington Times Takes a Look at Governor Huckabee's Record

"Mike Huckabee"

The Washington Times

Editorial

December 11, 2007

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"Now that Mr. Huckabee has reached first place in Iowa polls, those days are over. His 10 1/2 years as Arkansas governor and his conservative credentials are now relentlessly scrutinized, and Mr. Huckabee is under fire for substantial increases in taxes and spending by the Club for Growth and the CATO Institute. Numbers USA, a research and advocacy organization which opposes illegal immigration and monitors politicians' records on the issue, is sharply critical of his record as governor."

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"But the overall thrust of his record appears to be big-government liberalism. As governor, this included such things as: signing a sales-tax increase; supporting an Internet sales tax; opposing repeal of a sales tax on groceries and medicine; signing bills raising taxes on gasoline and cigarettes; and opposing a congressional ban on Internet taxes.

"On Mr. Huckabee's watch, state spending increased by 65.3 percent, three times the rate of inflation, and the number of state government workers increased 20 percent during his tenure.

"As for his positions on economic issues, Mr. Huckabee is a mixed bag."

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"Mr. Huckabee has come under withering fire from critics of illegal immigration. Asked last month about complaints that he is 'soft' on illegals, the former Arkansas governor said he opposed sanctuary cities and opposes amnesty, although he contradicted himself somewhat by adding that he believes illegal aliens can be put on a path to citizenship.

"Asked on ABC Television's 'This Week' about his Arkansas record on the issue, Mr. Huckabee replied: 'You don't punish a child because a parent committed a crime, or committed a sin, you just don't do it.' He didn't rule out extending this principle to the federal level, but suggested that he might view state and federal benefits differently."

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"With no experience conducting or voting on foreign policy issues, Mr. Huckabee's comments and writings are closely scrutinized. Within the past week, he has decried waterboarding of captured terrorists, called for shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and suggested that America could bolster its standing in the world by treating other nations with more 'respect.' You can bet that if Mr. Huckabee continues his surge in the polls, his opponents will go to great lengths to try to force him to give more structured, coherent explanations of his world view."

To read the full editorial, please click here .