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Candidates counting on Texas | Huckabee portrays himself as the conservative Republican candidate in hope of gaining votes in Texas
By: Rick Rojas
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: News
His main focus in the speech was taxes. He said he would be the president who would close the Internal Revenue Service, ending what he considered convoluted and unnecessary tax codes. Instead, he would implement a "fair tax" system, which taxed on consumption, not production, Huckabee said. The system he proposed would abolish income and payroll taxes and be replaced with a national sales tax.
"We have a tax system that absolutely strangles the life out of those trying to create jobs in this country," he said in his reasoning for restructuring the tax system.
Opponents have argued, though, that the fair tax would cause the progressive sales tax rates to reach as high as 30 percent and would not make the tax system less complicated, as its proponents claim.
In a race of collecting delegates for the nomination, Huckabee's chances are limited. In the Republican Party, 1,191 delegates are needed to win the nomination; McCain, the frontrunner, has 845 delegates to Huckabee's 205. Polls show that Huckabee's support among the electorate is significantly smaller than McCain's. McCain has 54 percent with 36 percent for Huckabee, according to the most recent Reuters/C-Span/Zogby poll of Texas Republican voters.
But, Huckabee said, the race for the Republican nomination is not yet finished. "Excuse me," he said, "no one has 1,191 delegates yet."
"We don't have a nominee yet, and until we have a nominee we'll keep fighting," Huckabee added.
Because of his experience as a chief executive - the only with such experience in the race, he pointed out - he has the background, Huckabee said, that Texas would want in its president. He added he knows the power that Republican voters in the state have in the primary election.
"It's not over till Texas says it's over," Huckabee said. "Your choice, your voice, your vote has an impact."
"We have a tax system that absolutely strangles the life out of those trying to create jobs in this country," he said in his reasoning for restructuring the tax system.
Opponents have argued, though, that the fair tax would cause the progressive sales tax rates to reach as high as 30 percent and would not make the tax system less complicated, as its proponents claim.
In a race of collecting delegates for the nomination, Huckabee's chances are limited. In the Republican Party, 1,191 delegates are needed to win the nomination; McCain, the frontrunner, has 845 delegates to Huckabee's 205. Polls show that Huckabee's support among the electorate is significantly smaller than McCain's. McCain has 54 percent with 36 percent for Huckabee, according to the most recent Reuters/C-Span/Zogby poll of Texas Republican voters.
But, Huckabee said, the race for the Republican nomination is not yet finished. "Excuse me," he said, "no one has 1,191 delegates yet."
"We don't have a nominee yet, and until we have a nominee we'll keep fighting," Huckabee added.
Because of his experience as a chief executive - the only with such experience in the race, he pointed out - he has the background, Huckabee said, that Texas would want in its president. He added he knows the power that Republican voters in the state have in the primary election.
"It's not over till Texas says it's over," Huckabee said. "Your choice, your voice, your vote has an impact."
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