Help Huck Decide?

Fri, August 15, 2008 - 11:33 AM

WASHINGTON – Only hours left to tell Mike Huckabee which of three Republican primary candidates he should back in the race for a chance to challenge freshman Democratic Rep Tim Mahoney in Florida’s 16th congressional district.

At midnight tonight, Huck PAC (www.huckpac.com) – the former Arkansas governor’s Political Action Committee – will shut down it on-line voting and announce the winner on Saturday.

“This congressional district represents an excellent opportunity for Republicans to pick up a seat in November. That is why this vote is so important and why we wanted to leave the final choice up to you,” explains an e-mail sent out by Huckabee’s PAC this week.

“Today we ask you to choose,” the e-mail says.

The impact of a endorsement from conservative Huckabee is uncertain in the primary race between State Representative Gayle Harrell, Tom Rooney, a lawyer and Army veteran who is a member of the family that owns the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, and Palm Beach City Council Member Hal Valeche.

Florida’s 16th Congressional District in South Central Florida leans Republican, but is now represented Democratic Mahoney, a millionaire and business executive from Palm Beach Gardens.

He finds himself the top state target of House Republicans, in part because his victory in 2006 was considered a bit of fluke. He took the seat formally held by GOP Rep. Mark Foley, who resigned in disgrace just a little more than a month before the election.

-- Billy House