by Jason George
Former Gov. Mike Huckabee won two out of three contests Saturday, but he's not giving up on the final one either, claiming that irregularities in the Washington state caucuses have him "exploring all available legal options regarding the dubious final results."
"It is very unfortunate that the Washington State Party Chairman, Luke Esser, chose to call the race for John McCain after only 87 percent of the vote was counted," Huckabee Campaign Chairman Ed Rollins said in a statement released Sunday night.
"According to CNN, the difference between Senator McCain and Governor Huckabee is a mere 242 votes, out of more than 12,000 votes counted—with another 1500 or so votes, apparently, not counted. That is an outrage."
Washington Republicans send 40 delegates to the national convention, with about half chosen through the caucus and the party. The other half is chosen by a primary, which will be held on Feb. 19.
Attempts to reach Esser on Sunday evening were not successful.







Comments
This is outrageous!
They are trying to steal the state of Washington from Mike Huckabee.
I was a Mccain supporter in maryland, I will vote for Mike Huckabee now!
This story deserves more coverage.
Posted by: Sam | February 10, 2008 5:28 PM
John McCain can not be PRESIDENT!
why? he was born in Panama.. Therefore under the constitution he does not qualify to be President. It needs to be clarified by the Supreme Court.
He is a Citizen because both parents are but he is hold under the same rule as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and any other Citizen NO BORN IN THE USA.
Can some Bring this to the Public… How is this possible when Under the Constitution he is not permitted to become President.
Posted by: Roger | February 10, 2008 6:24 PM
Mike UpChuckAbee; The Fred Thompson and Rudi Julieannie of late February....
Posted by: C.Morris | February 10, 2008 7:51 PM
Give it up Huckabee - you clearly don't understand Washington's caucus system. Delegates are selected in local caucus's and each delegate says who they will or might vote for at the next county / state level. Having been through this before in WA, the delegates at the local level don't really matter since they are "soft". The local delegates are reduced in number at the county level, and then further reduced at the state convention, which makes its own call. Bottom line is the voter can never control the end result. It is the system in Washington.
There is nothing wrong in stopping counting of delegates selected. They will finish it Monday. Depending on the district the delegate selections are coming from, the trends may be already be apparent. I am sure this is why they called the winner. I am confident no one's "vote" was disallowed.
Posted by: Debbie | February 10, 2008 9:09 PM
Luke Esser was on stage cheering at a McCain rally on Friday night. I think this is entirely inappropriate for the man that is supposed to be the referee in this contest.
Esser is the man on the right.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004173350_mccain09m.html
Posted by: Jeff Clarke | February 10, 2008 9:27 PM
"Mike Huckabee battles on in Washington"
Yea! Dinosaur's everywhere are clapping!
We Don't Need No Stinkin' Evolution!
Posted by: John E | February 10, 2008 9:53 PM
Roger, the children of military servicepeople and ambassadors born abroad are automatically citizens and eligible for the presidency. Obama was born in Indonesia so according your ridiculous post both frontrunners are ineligible.
How could the McCain campaign "steal" anything? They're not the ones counting the votes. The Washington state party is. I'm sure John wants all the votes counted, too. I agree that it's stupid to call the race with only 87% of the totals in and 242 votes separating the top two candidates. Either way, though, it's a caucus state and the only difference between "winning" and "losing" will be one delegate. With the lead McCain has, and double-digit poll leads in Virginia and Maryland, one delegate isn't going to help Huckabee.
Posted by: Jeff | February 10, 2008 10:46 PM
9 Trillion national debt. $60,000 for each working American. I,ll never earn that much and neither will my old lady. That means one of you geniuses out there owes $120,000 on top of your own $60 grand. You run right out and vote for your favorite republicrat because I'm sure they've spelled out how they're going to help you in this regard. MAKE YOUR GRANDKIDS DO IT.
Posted by: steven montross | February 10, 2008 10:57 PM
Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has taken to calling himself a “fiscal conservative,” but who ever heard of a fiscal conservative who raised taxes and spending through the roof while governor of Arkansas? Mike Huckabee is also calling himself “a different kind of Republican,” but that’s just a codeword for a big-government Republican who wants to cover up his tax-and-spend record with folksy talking points and one-liners. Sorry Tax Hike Mike. No dice.
http://www.taxhikemike.org/
1. He doesn’t believe in evolution: Yep, Huckabee is a supporter of the “intelligent design” theory. He has claimed that this issue shouldn’t matter in the presidential election, but why in the world would we want a president who cannot come to objective conclusions based on present information?
2. He is a scaremonger: Huckabee has called Islamofacscism the greatest threat we ever faced. I think he needs to read a few history books and see that a few terrorists in the Middle East are hardly presenting America with greater threats than those faced in its war for independence, a civil war that tore the nation apart, a world war against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, and a Cold War against a nuclear-armed USSR.
3. He thinks AIDS patients need to be isolated: Huckabee once advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposed increased federal funding in the search for a cure and said homosexuality could “pose a dangerous public health risk.” When recently questioned by the media on this view, he defended his previous statements.
4. He puts rapists on the streets: As governor of Arkansas, Huckabee personally demanded the release of a convicted rapist who had been put in jail under Bill Clinton’s governorship. After the man was released on parole, he promptly raped and murdered a young woman. Huckabee has tried to play down his role in the parole of the criminal, but those involved have confirmed that Huckabee was far more involved than he now claims.
5. He claims to be a “fiscal conservative,” but he is lying: Huckabee raised taxes and spending while governor of Arkansas, revealing that he is a free-spending big-government Republican.
6. He thinks God wanted the American people to re-elect George W Bush: At the 2004 meeting of the Republican Governor’s Association, Huckabee put on a performance in which he received a cell phone call from God in with the almighty endorced George W Bush’s reelection campaign.
7. He supports torture: Huckabee will continue the Bush Administration’s policy of torturing detainees if elected president.
8. He wants to give illegal immigrants drivers’ licenses: Thought that stuff he said about being tough on immigration in the youtube video with Chuck Norris was true? You’ve been fooled.
9. He holds extremist views on abortion: Even many pro-lifers would agree that a 15 year-old mentally retarded girl who was raped by her stepfather should be able to get an abortion. As governor of Arkansas, Huckabee blocked Medicaid funding of just such an abortion.
10. He doesn’t follow the news: When the newest National Intelligence Estimate came out revealing Iran was no longer developing nuclear weapons, Huckabee was one of the last people in America to find out about it. Does this guy ever pick up a newspaper?
11. He thinks God wants him to be president: Yes, Huckabee actually said that.
12. He doesn’t want us to know the truth about his past: Huckabee had computer hard drives used during his time as governor crushed at the end of his term in order to keep the information stored there from the public and the press. What are you hiding, governor?
http://www.who-sucks.com/people/12-reasons-wh...
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | February 10, 2008 11:13 AM
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | February 11, 2008 12:53 AM
With all you haters out there picking on Mike Huckabee because he is the best hope of the Republican party, all I can say is get over it. Just alot of sour grapes.
Posted by: Paul Jaeger | February 11, 2008 9:15 AM
Roger,
In addition to what Jeff said, the Canal Zone was a US possession when McCain was born there.
Posted by: Tracy | February 11, 2008 10:15 AM
Jeez y'all.
Obama was born in Hawaii. Not Indonesia.
Posted by: Susan Murphy | February 15, 2008 12:42 PM