Jim Mone / AP Photo
Apparently the man to beat in the Republican 2012 primary might not even put his hat in the ring. Mike Huckabee is ahead of 16 other potential Republican contenders, according to the latest Gallup poll. He's the most liked in general, the most liked by Fox News viewers; he comes out on top in primary match-ups and does better than other primary contenders when matched against President Obama. The Gallup poll isn't an anomaly, either. “Huckabee’s the only one of the top Republicans who has the combination of electability and base appeal it’s going to take to beat Barack Obama,” wrote Tom Jensen of the Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling back in January. Despite Huckabee's popularity, most insiders say he won't run. He hasn't proven himself able to raise as much money as a presidential candidate needs to, and as long as the economy is still the most important issue for voters, it would be tough for a social-issues candidate like Huckabee to win.