Gravitating Toward Huckabee

The Dallas News reports on Huckabee's many recent Christian conservative endorsements, as well as some possible support from Dobson next week:

Several Christian conservative leaders, troubled by the appearance the movement is divided, are moving toward Republican Mike Huckabee in hopes of making him the consensus candidate of the religious right.

The effort seeks to blunt the impact of recent high-profile endorsements for other presidential candidates, notably televangelist Pat Robertson's support of Rudy Giuliani.

"What you're seeing is a huge coalescing around Huckabee," said Kelly Shackelford of the Plano-based Liberty Legal Institute. "The vast percentage of pro-family leaders in the nation are going for Huckabee."

The Huckabee campaign is expected to announce the endorsement of several social conservative leaders, including Christian radio host Janet Folger and Matthew Staver, dean of the law school at Liberty University founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell.

On Thursday, conservative activist Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association joined East Texas evangelical leader Rick Scarborough in publicly supporting Mr. Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor.

The campaign has also attracted the backing of several influential members of the Southern Baptist Convention. Among them are former convention president James Draper of Colleyville and Prestonwood Baptist Church pastor Jack Graham.

Influential Christian leader James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, says he has problems with the front-runners.

Although it's unclear whether Mr. Dobson will endorse anyone, those familiar with his plans say he intends to say positive things about Mr. Huckabee on his nationally syndicated radio program next week.