Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, announced on Saturday night that he was ending his cable talk show and would make a decision about a presidential bid this spring.
Mr Huckabee, a Republican, used his weekly Fox News programme, Huckabee, to reveal that he was leaving the network as he considers a second campaign for the White House.
“As much as I have loved doing the show, I cannot bring myself to rule out another presidential run,” said Mr Huckabee (59), who also sought the Republican nomination in 2008.
He said he would make a decision on running “late in the spring”. Mr Huckabee, a Baptist pastor turned politician, won a following with conservatives during his first campaign and he has become even more widely known since then thanks to his presence on the Fox network.
With a populist style and the speaking skills he has honed in the pulpit, on the stump and on the air, he could prove a significant factor during the 2016 primaries, particularly in states with large evangelical populations.
Yet some Republicans question whether he will go through with a campaign, in part because he has made so much money since his last bid, and may not want to risk the loss of income from news media and speaking opportunities that could come with a second loss.
Republican field
The Republican field for 2016 could also see a number of more formidable Christian conservatives than those who ran in 2008.
Mr Huckabee sat out the 2012 race in part because he was earning millions of dollars a year and he did not think Barack Obama could be defeated.
The high-water mark of Mr Huckabee’s first presidential campaign was his commanding win in the Iowa caucuses, the contest that starts the nominating process. But he was unable to keep up financially with his Republican rivals, had difficulty building his base of support beyond the Christian right and split the conservative vote with other candidates. – (New York Times)