By LIBBY QUAID,
Associated Press Writer
LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) -- Mike Huckabee, nursing a second third-place finish in northern states, looked ahead to the South where he hopes his Arkansas roots and Baptist background will put him back on a winning track in South Carolina.
"Ladies and gentlemen we're going to win South Carolina," hedeclared to supporters in Lexington.
Huckabee, the winner of the Iowa caucuses, has emerged from theback of the pack into an improbable contender.
But he has since hadto watch John McCain win New Hampshire and, now, Mitt Romney winMichigan.
He is staking his new foothold on South Carolina's socialconservatives and religious voters as well as young working classvoters attracted to his economic populist message.
South Carolina'sGOP primary is Saturday.
"We put a flag in the ground here Saturday," he said of thestate. "We're going to make it real clear that thefirst-in-the-South primary is going to give their support to thefirst-in-the-South candidate."
In South Carolina, as he did in Michigan, Huckabee was expectedto rally pastors to help turn out their flocks.
He has called forconstitutional amendments to ban abortion and gay marriage, notingthat some of his rivals don't want to change the Constitution.
"But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitutionthan it would be to change the word of the living God," he saidMonday night in Warren, Mich. "And that's what we need to do, isto amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards, rather thantry to change God's standards."
He also talked tough on immigration as he girded for next-upSouth Carolina, where the issue inflames conservative voters whodominate the GOP.
Arriving Tuesday in Rock Hill, S.C., Huckabeecalled for suspending immigration from countries that sponsor orharbor terrorists, going further than any of his rivals inproposing to clamp down on immigration.
"I say we ought to put a hiatus on people who come in here ...if they come from countries that sponsor and harbor terrorists,"he said. "Let's say, until you get your act in order, and we getour act in order, we're not going to just let you keep coming andthreaten the future and safety of America."
His campaign quickly backtracked; Huckabee dropped the issue inhis next speech, and an adviser, Jim Pinkerton, said Huckabeereally meant he wants a "thorough review" of immigrationproblems.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
