Huckabee Ahead In Polls, Poised To Take Michigan From Romney

Detroit, MI (AHN) - Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is setting his sights on winning in Michigan. The most recent poll shows him with a 1 percent lead over rival and native son Mitt Romney. Up until now, Huckabee has relied on a grass-roots efforts from evangelicals and Fair Tax advocates fueling his campaign there.

That combination worked in Iowa his supporters say. They say that Huckabee has a wide base of support in Michigan and can win the primary if his supporters just go to the polls and vote.

According to CNN reports, one of the leaders of the movement, Gary Glenn said that the network of evangelists and tax advocates has "laid the groundwork" for a Huckabee win.

"The fact that he's even in a position to threaten Mitt Romney in his native state is a real statement to the depth of support he has here," Glenn told CNN.

The Fair Tax movement has endorsed Huckabee and is working to get an anti-tax measure on the ballot this fall.

"We don't have to persuade them to vote, we just have to get them to turn up," Glenn said Thursday, comparing the grass roots network in Michigan to the one that delivered a victory to Huckabee in Iowa.

Glenn could be right. The most recent Michigan poll shows him in a virtual dead heat with Romney who has been aggressively campaigning in the state where he is also relying on his old connections there to deliver the victory to him.

He was born and raised in Michigan where his father served as governor.

CNN news reports that Romney has sunk $3 million into TV ads in Michigan. Romney had called winning Michigan his priority after his loss to John McCain in New Hampshire following his loss to Huckabee in Iowa.

In contrast, Huckabee who had not a campaign office in Michigan, spent money on TV ads, or campaigned much in the state at the time the poll was done came in on top.

The poll released on Tuesday by Rossman Group/MIRS/Denno-Noor showed Huckabee with 23 percent, Romney with 22 percent, McCain at 18 percent and the rest of the Republicans below 10 percent each.

Since the poll was done, Romney has gained the endorsements of several Michigan newspapers. The Grand Rapids Press and The Oakland Press have said they back Romney. But McCain already had the endorsements of the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News, which are two of Michigan's largest and most influential newspapers.