Vote '08

(hat tip to NewsChannel9 producer Nathan Frick)

From Huckabee’s website:

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It didn’t matter which side would ultimately win. Both supporters of Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama had the same vision floating over their heads: a chance to become part of what may be one of the most exciting & consequential presidential conventions in the past half-century.

Everyone who turned up at the Iron Workers’ Union Hall on Belle Arbor Avenue in Chattanooga Saturday afternoon still has more hurdles before their dream trip to Denver in August is assured. Later this month, each of Saturday’s nominated delegates heads to Anderson County — Clinton, Tennessee, auspiciously enough — for the Congressional-District-wide delegate convention. That is where four Hamilton Countians — 2 men & 2 women, a supporter of both candidates from each gender — will have a shot at a trip to the Mile-High City. Hamilton County has not sent a Democratic delegate to the national convention in several elections. All who came to caucus hope to change that.

[For the record, Republicans choose their delegates a different way: voters select them on the ballot on Primary Day].

After the jump, Vote08 hears from some caucus-goers on each side & delineates demographic differences among these delegate-designees.

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JUST IN: NewsChannel9’s crew on the scene says Chuck Norris is in Chattanooga with Mike Huckabee!

Look for more details at noon on NewsChannel9 Midday & NewsChannel 9 at 5:30!

A NewsChannel9 staffer was at the rally. Read his account & see his photos after the jump:

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GOP Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee appears this morning for a rally at the Chattanooga Convention Center (1150 Carter Street), confirming Vote08’s prediction from January 26th. Huckabee is polling well on this side of Tennessee, & his volunteers were visible around Chattanooga this weekend.

The latest statewide poll (PDF file) from WSMV-TV in Nashville shows Huckabee is very alive in the Tennessee primary:

Mike Huckabee: 24%

John McCain: 23%

Mitt Romney: 18%

Ron Paul: 4%

Don’t Know Yet: 26%

…but as you can see, “don’t know” is the winner so far. Therefore, heeeere’s Huckabee.

Huckabee’s lead is in west Tennessee and here in east Tennessee. He has a 10 point lead in the west but just a 4-point lead here in the east. He also polls better with women than with men.

The voter shift from supporting Fred Thompson is also an interesting number to track. 46% of Tennessee Republicans say they would have given Fred their support. The polls show a fairly even shift to McCain, Romney & Huckabee from Thompson supporters, but still over a quarter of former Thompson supporters remain undecided.

So simply put, Huckabee has every reason to visit Chattanooga today.

Tennessee State Rep. Eric Watson will be welcoming Huckabee at a rally this morning at 8am. Huckabee will do interviews after the rally at about 9:15.

Should you go if you can? Absolutely. This goes for everyone of any political stripe. These events happen with the rarity of solar eclipses, and regardless of how you feel about the man it’s still a fun event to witness. This will probably be (but who knows) the last presidential candidate to visit Chattanooga until after Super Tuesday.

Depend on NewsChannel 9 and NewsChannel9.com (not to mention Vote08) to keep you up to date on what’s happening. If you’re checking this blog after you went to see him, drop us a line! We’d love to hear your story or share your photos!

p.s. What are ‘hustings?’ (see headline) Here’s a definition.

Ok, Vote08 knows a lot of your weekend activities will revolve around a certain football game.. but Super Tuesday comes right on the heels of the Superbowl, and if you’d like to get a taste of the campaign, there are many opportunities within a tank of gas of Chattanooga that you can take advantage of.

Here are the events that Vote08 knows about:

Rand Paul, the son of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, will speak in Chattanooga on Saturday at 9 AM at 1601 Rossville Avenue.

Mike Huckabee will be in Huntsville for a rally at a church on Saturday. This link has details of exactly where he’ll be.

Another “man from Hope” will be in Huntsville, too! Bill Clinton will be campaigning at Huntsville High School that same day.

& finally, John McCain makes an appearance in Nashville Saturday morning.

Are you going to go to any of these? Let Vote08 know! We’d love to hear your story & see any pictures you take! Just drop Vote08 an e-mail or post a comment right here!