Mike Huckabee: Abortion Most Important Political Issue

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 15, 2011   |   12:54PM   |   Knoxville, TN

During an appearance at a pro-life fundraising event on Monday night, pro-life potential Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee confirmed that, for him, abortion is the most important political issue.

“For me this is an issue that — as I’ve said before — it transcends all of the political issues,” he said. “I’ve often said I would gladly lose an election before I would ever yield on the issue of the sanctity of human life.”

At the event, held at the Knoxville Convention Center, the former Arkansas governor confirmed he is “seriously looking at” running for president again in 2012 and may do if only to “elevate the issue of life.” Palm Christian Ministry arranged the dinner, which gave Huckabee an opportunity to meet with top sponsors of the event beforehand, according to the News Sentinel newspaper.

Huckabee does well in most Republican primary election polls and is one of the stronger candidates matched up against pro-abortion President Barack Obama. But Bob Vander Plaats, an Iowa conservative and confidant to Huckabee, tells the Wall St. Journal the former governor may hold back on announcing a presidential bid and see if any other candidates catch fire.

He said:  “I have told many of these candidates that they may make Huckabee’s decision for him. If a Pawlenty or Thune or Bachmann catch fire among the base, I could see Huckabee saying, ‘I think I will sit this one out’.”

Huckabee was one of the top Republicans to respond to the social issues “truce” Indiana Gov, Mitch Daniels — himself a potential GOP presidential candidate — put forward.

“This is absolutely heartbreaking. And that one of our Republican ‘leaders’ would suggest this truce, even more so,” Huckabee said at the time. “Governor Daniels is a personal friend and a terrific Governor, and I’m very disappointed that he would think that pro-life and pro-family activists would just lie down.”

In June, Huckabee released a statement to Politico saying he took exception to the “truce” comment.

He said pro-life issues “are not bargaining chips nor or they political issues. They are moral issues.”

“I didn’t get involved in politics just to lower taxes and deficit spending though I believe in both and have done it as a governor. But I want to stay true to the basic premises of our civilization,” he said.

“Apparently, a 2012 Republican presidential prospect in an interview with a reporter has made the suggestion that the next president should call for a ‘truce’ on social issues like abortion and traditional marriage to focus on fiscal problems,” Huckabee continued. “In other words, stop fighting to end abortion and don’t make protecting traditional marriage a priority.”