Huckabee For U.S. Senate?

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has tapped an Alaska Congressman to serve as the Capitol Hill chairman of his 2008 presidential campaign.

Rep. Don Young will lead the effort to recruit supporters and raise money for Huckabee. Rep. John Boozman of Arkansas is the only other member of Congress to have announced his support for Huckabee. South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds is the only Governor backing Huckabee so far. As you'll read here, pro-lifers are happy.

But some in Arkansas and Washington are already calling for Huckabee to challenge Mark Pryor for his U.S. Senate seat instead. "One state GOP source familiar with Huckabee’s campaign said a Senate bid could indeed materialize and that it’s something Huckabee has considered and analyzed," writes the Washington newspaper The Hill.

When could Huckabee bag his White House dreams for a shot at the Senate? Mark down Aug. 11 on your calendar. That's when Republicans hold a straw poll in Iowa, an early but crucial indication of real support in the state.

In the latest Zogby poll of presidential candidates, Huckabee doesn't even register. His main rival for the conservative crown of the G.O.P., Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, seems to be gaining a bit more traction, netting 4%.

Still, political observers believe the Natural State could be a battleground in 2008, depending on the general election match-up. The Politico reports that Democrats are looking to bring Arkansas back into their blue fold.

From The Politico:

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is seeking the 2008 GOP nomination, said that his state still has strong Democratic tendencies and that Republicans will have to appeal in the right fashion -- something Huckabee is emphasizing in his fledgling campaign.

"Arkansas is kind of an eclectic state when it comes to politics," Huckabee told The Politico. "It's clearly a tough environment for Republicans. This is an organizationally Democratic state."

While social issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage and gun rights are important to Arkansans, successful Republican candidates need to also emphasize education and conservation, Huckabee said.

"They cannot be seen as harsh or strident," he said.

So if it's Huckabee versus Hillary, who wins?