Dislike for Romney May Push Huckabee into Race

Former GOP Govs. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and former Mitt Romney of Massachusetts didn’t get along so well in the 2008 presidential campaign. And that may be enough to drive Huckabee into the 2012 campaign against Romney, who has all but announced his candidacy, Republicans who know both men tell Politico.

“Huckabee hates Mitt, and his goal in Iowa last time was to stop him,” says one prominent Republican, who’s known both men for years. “If he sees an opportunity to cut Mitt off [during the nominating process], he will take it.”

But Hogan Gidley, executive director of HuckPAC, scoffs at the notion that Huckabee’s decision will be based on his personal feelings toward Romney. "Only someone who knows precious little about running for president would put forth the ludicrous notion that a person would go through the rigors of running for president due to some personal grudge,” he told Politico. ”That's beyond absurd — it's idiotic."