Huckabee stumps for Brown

By DANIEL PERSON Chronicle Staff Writer

Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee evoked standing ovations, laughs and solemn silence to rally party faithful and raise money for gubernatorial candidate Roy Brown Wednesday at a lunchtime stop in Bozeman.

DEIRDRE EITEL/CHRONICLE Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee accepts applause before speaking at a fundraiser at the Holiday Inn on Wednesday. “These are people who understand what it’s supposed to be about,” he said, speaking of Brown and his running mate Steve Daines. “They won’t be reaching into your pockets every week.”

About 150 people turned out for the $100-a-plate fundraiser at the Holiday Inn to see Huckabee, who won several state primaries in his bid for the Republican nomination.

Brown is taking on incumbent Democrat Brian Schweitzer.

Schweitzer is popular among Montanans, but Huckabee said Brown can convince voters that Montana “could be better.” Since dropping out of the presidential race on March 4, Huckabee has turned his attention to Republican races across the country.

Brown has been running on a platform of fiscal responsibility and aggressive development of Montana’s oil and gas reserves. Without naming Schweitzer by name, Brown criticized the governor’s $400 property tax rebate sent out last fall and history with energy development.

“(Voters) want real property tax relief, real energy development, a governor who will promote Montana, not himself,” he said.

Befitting of a man who has appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Saturday Night Live,” much of Huckabee’s speech was in jest at the expense of himself and Democrats. He recalled a time on the campaign trail when a woman told him she wouldn’t vote for him if he were Saint Peter.

“If I were Saint Peter, you wouldn’t be in my district,” the Baptist minister shot back.

But he mostly talked about the importance of Republican principles for the health of the United States -- self-reliance, small government and a respect for human life, including the lives of the unborn and elderly.

“Being Republican isn’t being weird. It’s believing government should not be intrusive in our lives … should not complicate the free-enterprise system,” he said.

Montanans should consider these principles when voting in November, he said.

“I hope Montanans, when voting, all the way down to the local legislative level, see there is a stark difference” between Republicans and Democrats, he said.

The Montana Democratic Party Wednesday shot back that Huckabee had a record of taxing heavily, and that Brown had voiced support for a sales tax in Montana.

“If Roy Brown and Governor Huckabee are clear on their pro-tax records, then Montanans will have an easy choice come November,” Democratic spokesman Kevin O’Brien said in a written release.

Harper Lawson, manager of Schweitzer’s re-election campaign, said Schweitzer had done more to cut taxes than any other governor in Montana’s history. “Brown’s plan for tax relief would be a boon for his buddies in the oil industry, and only peanuts to Montana homeowners,” he said.

Speaking to press after the lunch, Brown said he was optimistic in his chances against Schweitzer.

“I’m not doing this for practice. This is the real show,” he said.

While Huckabee had a poor showing in Montana’s Republican caucus, the Republicans said he still has sway.

“I think he still has a great message,” Brown said. “As a people, we need to have a moral side and a public side. … His message still resonates.”

Daines, who has known Huckabee for several years, ran Huckabee’s presidential campaign in Montana until March 4, when Huckabee dropped out of the race.

Huckabee was already scheduled to speak in Billings on Tuesday at a fundraiser for Billings Christian Schools. After Daines joined the ticket for governor, Huckabee volunteered to fundraise for the campaign, Huckabee said after the lunch.

Brown Spokesman Tyler Matthews said the campaign raised about $20,000 Wednesday.

To reporters, Huckabee said he wanted to return the favors done for him during his runs for governor and president.

“Scripture tells us: to whom much has been given, much will be required,” he said. “I got elected because there were people who were willing to help me.”

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