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Amata: Former Gov. Huckabee is a strong pick as Ambassador to Israel

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata
Sources: Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata’s D.C. Staff & AP

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata says President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Israel — former Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, is a fully able candidate.

“Sending a nationally known Governor as the top diplomat to Israel signals our commitment to our enduring relationship with Israel,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “Israel is a close ally and a democracy in the region. Governor Huckabee will represent the United States ably and is a friend to Israel. He will work well with President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio beginning in 2025. We pray for the restoration of peace and security, the safe return of the hostages taken in the October 7th attacks, and the rejection of Hamas for a better future.”

Governor Huckabee has been to Israel many times, has a background as a Baptist minister, and is an experienced three-term governor.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT FORMER GOV. HUCKABEE

Michael Dale Huckabee (born August 24, 1955) is an American political commentator, Baptist minister, and former politician who served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate for the Republican Party presidential nomination in both 2008 and 2016.

He is the host of the talk show Huckabee, which ran on the Fox News Channel from 2008 to 2015, and has run on TBN since October 2017. He paused the show in January 2015 in order to explore a potential bid for the presidency. From April 2012 through December 2013, he hosted a daily radio program, The Mike Huckabee Show, on weekday afternoons for Cumulus Media Networks. Huckabee is an ordained Southern Baptist pastor noted for his Evangelical views, a musician, and a public speaker. He has written several books, and was previously a political commentator on The Huckabee Report.

In the 2008 Republican presidential primaries, Huckabee won the 2008 Iowa Republican caucuses and finished second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won, behind John McCain and Mitt Romney. Huckabee ran again for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election but withdrew early in the primary following the Iowa caucus.

Huckabee is the father of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the governor of Arkansas since 2023 and a former White House press secretary.

On November 12, 2024, it was announced that President-elect Donald Trump would be nominating Huckabee as United States Ambassador to Israel. Trump stated that Huckabee would "bring peace to the Middle East."