US election 2016: Republican Mike Huckabee to announce presidential decision on 5 May

Former Republican presidential candidate Huckabee speaks during the third session of the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is set to announce his 2016 decision on 5 May. REUTERS

American voters may soon have to contend with yet another Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential elections. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has announced that he will make an announcement regarding a presidential run on 5 May in Hope, Arkansas.

Huckabee made his announcement during Special Report with Bret Baier on Fox News. The Republican called Fox News home until January 2015. According to USA Today, Huckabee is a favourite among Christian evangelical voters. The 59-year-old conservative ran during the 2008 primaries and won the Iowa GOP caucuses.

Bloomberg Politics reported Huckabee announced he had formed a presidential exploratory committee in early April. Establishing an exploratory committee is the first step towards officially announcing a presidential bid.

Huckabee has made several visits to key campaign states, including Iowa and South Carolina. According to Bloomberg Politics, he is expected to visit Hudson, New Hampshire on 18 April.

The Arkansa conservative will be joining a crowded Republican field. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Florida Senator Marco Rubio have all announced their official presidential bids. Across the aisle, Democrat Hillary Clinton announced her campaign on 12 April.

A recent poll by Quinnipiac University revealed Huckabee may have to work hard at improving his poll numbers in three key swing states: Colorado, Iowa and Virginia. The former governor ties with Clinton at 41% in Colorado and at 42% in Iowa, but falls behind the Democrat in Virginia (48% to 40%).