Q: Did former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee make the right decision in skipping the Conservative Political Action Conference and instead campaigning in South Carolina and Tennessee?
REPUBLICANS (86 VOTES)
Yes: 49%No: 51%
Yes
"His CPAC credentials are fine. He needs to expand his reach."
"CPAC is a gathering of far-right consultants, most of whom work out of D.C. The real conservative grassroots is outside the Beltway."
"Go where the votes are."
"Huckabee has appeal, but he's been overtaken by a new crop of candidates. He's wise to avoid comparisons that would not be helpful to him."
"CPAC has outlived its usefulness. It is increasingly a gathering of the strange and weird."
"If Huckabee raised some money, the trip was worth it. If not, he missed out on recruiting true believers."
"CPAC has seen its better days. It is no longer an accurate barometer of where the race is among conservatives."
No
"His absence just says, 'I take you for granted, Iowa.' Not a good plan with such a strong field of candidates."
"He's gotta face the fiscal conservatives that have questions, sooner or later."
"Folks won't remember where he went instead. He should have been there. Optics matter."
"I don't think Huckabee 2.0 will do as well as 2008, but he can go to South Carolina and Tennessee anytime. Free media from CPAC is only available once a year."
"Mistake. He can't take his base for granted."
"You need eyeballs to raise dollars, and the eyeballs are on CPAC right now."
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