Huckabee Wins 2012 Straw Poll at Values Voters Summit

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is the preferred 2012 GOP presidential nominee among Christian conservatives, according to the results of a straw poll announced Saturday at an annual gathering in Washington.

Prominent Republican leaders, including House Minority Leader John Boehner, took to the stage at the Value Voters Summit to blast President Obama's spending policies and announce the top 2012 presidential pick among conservative voters.

The summit's poll, which featured nine presidential prospects, found that 28 percent of Christian conservatives said Huckabee would revive the Republican party and traditional conservative principles.

Leading the rest of the group, Massachustts governor Mitt Romney, like Huckabee a former GOP presidential candidate, won about 12 percent. Other strong contenders included Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who poll just behind Romney. Former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence came out in in a virtual tie, also close behind the others.

Huckabee, a FOX News host and contributor, narrowly won the summit's 2007 straw poll -- which helped launch his 2008 bid for the presidency.

The former Baptist minister went on to win the 2008 Iowa presidential caucuses, but dropped out of the race following a series of losses to Arizona Sen. John McCain in the Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island primaries.

When asked if he'd seek the office again in 2012, Huckabee told the Associated Press, "I'm not ruling anything out for the future, but I'm not making any specific plans."