Huckabee frees delegates, supports McCain

From: NewsOK.com

Tue May 6, 2008

Former Arkansas Gov. and GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee has released the Oklahoma delegates he won during the state's presidential primary this year.

Huckabee encouraged the six delegates he won to vote for Republican presumptive presidential nominee John McCain, said Gary Jones, the chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party.

Jones said Monday he has contacted Huckabee's delegates and "all but one” of them said they would vote for McCain.

The other delegate is going to vote for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who is continuing his presidential bid despite dropping out of recent primaries.

If that holds true, 40 of Oklahoma's 41 GOP votes to be cast during the Republican National Convention in September will be for McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, Jones said. Paul, who did not win a delegate during Oklahoma's Feb. 5 presidential primary, would get one vote.

McCain earned 23 delegates for winning Oklahoma's primary, and nine other delegates for winning three congressional districts.

Huckabee finished second in the primary, but earned six delegates for winning two congressional districts.

Oklahoma has three additional delegates — Jones and two national committee members — who are committed to McCain.

Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau