by John Lyon, Arkansas News Bureau: State Republican Party chairman Dennis Milligan said Tuesday his endorsement of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for president does not constitute an endorsement by the state GOP. Huckabee's campaign named his "Arkansas GOP leadership team," a list of 45 prominent Republicans in the state who support Huckabee's bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Milligan's name appears near the top of the list. "That's a personal endorsement*, if you will, and in no way reflects the party's view with respect to him or any other candidate," Milligan said in an interview with the Arkansas News Bureau. The state party has not endorsed any presidential candidate, Milligan said. . . .Others on Huckabee's list of supporters include U.S. Rep. John Boozman; former U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins; former congressman and Dept of Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson; former U.S. Reps. John Paul Hammerschmidt and Jay Dickey; former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson; and former Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Betty Dickey. Twelve of the 33 Republicans currently serving in the state Legislature are on the list, though conspicuously absent are most GOP legislators from Northwest Arkansas, traditionally a Republican stronghold. . . . [Read More] * State Party Rule - Article I, Section 5.A.1 reads as follows: "Except for support of candidates in a presidential primary, the State Chairman, National Committeeman, National Committeewoman, County Chairmen, County Election Commissioners, County Committees and State Party employees shall not endorse or otherwise publicly show favoritism to one Republican candidate over another prior to the Republican nominee being selected." The State Chairman, or any of the above, may endorse a candidate in a presidential primary. This is the only exception permitted. However, ARRA could not locate anyone who recalls the State Chairman endorsing a candidate in a presidential primary.
Tags: Arkansas, Dennis Milligan, Election 2008, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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