South Carolina Gov. Beasley: "Barbour out helps Huckabee."

Former Gov. David Beasley of South Carolina, a strong supporter of Huckabee's in that critical "first in the South" primary state, says that the decision by Gov. Haley Barbour (MS) to bow out of the 2012 race for the GOP noimination "primarily, overwhelmingly, helps Huckabee."

Huckabee, who has consitently lead in virturally every poll for months - including South Carolina - is still considering whether or not he will enter the race.

According to Politico, "chatter in South Carolina GOP circles was louder on Wednesday surrounding Huckabee...".

Things are setting up nicely for Huckabee. He leads very strongly in Iowa, the very first primary state - and which he won in 2008. The next state is New Hampshire - which is much more liberal, and not a state Huckabee would be exptected to win (essentially a "skip"). Next would be South Carolina - noted for being the "first-in-the-South" primary state and a leading indicator of how the delegate-rich Southern bloc of states is likely to go.

Winning Iowa and South Carolina (2 of the first 3) would position Huckabee very strongly going in the rest of the primary states and would likely propel him to the nomination.

Onward and upward,

BSR

in reference to: Haley Barbour bail out boosts Mike Huckabee, ex-S.C. Gov. David Beasley says - Maggie Haberman - POLITICO.com (view on Google Sidewiki)