Tough Questions for Mike Huckabee

The Huckabee surge in South Carolina rolls on. Will the bubble burst?

The latest Mason Dixon poll of SC GOP voters confirms what the past week’s Rasmussen and Insider Advantage polls for SC suggest: The Huckabee surge in South Carolina continues unabated.

The Real Clear polling averages for the top six candidates:

Huckabee:21.5%
Giuliani: 17.3%
Romney: 17.0%
Thompson: 15.5%
McCain: 9.8%
Paul: 4.3%

Matched with Huckabee’s surge in Iowa this makes him the man to beat.

Some say Huckabee has caught on because voters in these two key states all of a sudden discovered that Huckabee is the “real conservative” many thought was lacking earlier in the race. Others suggest that Huckabee is the flavor of the month, and as voter’s learn more about his experience and what he really stands for his numbers will come down.

But there is no denying that he is in the top tier of candidates.

Mike’s America Questions for Huckabee:

It’s been my mission this year to meet many of the GOP candidates who visited my area of the South Carolina Lowcountry, I’m hoping that Governor Huckabee will include Hilton Head Island on his South Carolina travel schedule very soon.

I’ve taken the opportunity to ask the other candidates tough questions and I have one for Mike Huckabee too:

Question: Governor, illegal immigration is a very important issue here in South Carolina. On Fox News Sunday you told Chris Wallace that many illegal immigrants are here “because they’re trying to feed their families.” At grocery stores in this area illegal immigrants line up to buy food for their entire family with tax payer funded federal vouchers from the Women, Infants and Children program (it’s not just baby milk, but all the staples a family could need).

Your recent immigration plan stresses border security, which most conservatives agree is essential, but if we continue to incentive lawbreaking by rewarding those who violate our immigration law with taxpayer benefits we will still have an illegal immigrant problem no matter how tall the fence is.

My question is: Are you prepared to amend your recently announced immigration plan to include a proposal to end all federal benefits to illegal aliens.

If I have the chance for a follow-up it would be:

In a question by Chris Wallace about the CIA interrogation tapes you came out strongly against torture. Do you believe waterboarding is torture? And if you do, how would you explain your opposition to this technique to the occupants of the Library Tower in Los Angeles (photo right), who were saved after we learned about a planned attack on the building using these techniques?

More in this series:

• John McCain Visits Mike’s America
• Mitt Romney Visits Mike’s America
• Fred Thompson Visits Mike’s America
• Rudy Visits Mike’s America
• Duncan Hunter Woos South Carolina Conservatives
• NY Governor George Pataki Visits Mike’s America

Update:Huckabee Facing Howard Dean Moment in Iowa? Aaarrrggghh!

Huckabee’s shot at the nomination depends on a very strong showing in Iowa, then South Carolina (he’s not likely to win in New Hampshire). But if he peaks too soon in Iowa, after incredible expectations have been created with his metoric rise, will his candidacy in South Carolina sink like a lead ballon?

Jay Cost at Real Clear Politics Horse Race Blog has some excellent analysis.