Frater Huckabee Joins Alpha Nu for a 5K

DURHAM, N.H. - Republican presidential hopeful Frater Mike Huckabee (Beta-Psi) compared the race for president to a marathon as he prepared for a 5K fun run through downtown Durham, New Hampshire Saturday morning.

Recalling a past marathon he ran in Little Rock, Ark., Frater Huckabee said some runners, when the race started, got off to a fast start and pulled away from him, but when it drew to its conclusion, he passed them as they ran out of breath.

In the 2008 presidential election, Republicans Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain got a fast start, Huckabee said, adding that he's right where he wants to be.

"This campaign is a marathon. So much of the time people only take a look at who's out front early," he said. "But it's the last miles where you win or lose a race."

The former Arkansas governor ran at a steady pace with a group of about 30 college students during the 5K. Huckabee, an avid runner, said he was keeping in shape for next year's Boston Marathon, an event for which he's already signed up.

"In order to train for the Boston Marathon, I've got to keep running," he said. "And I can get some campaign support while I'm here."

He finished the run in less than 30 minutes.

The Alpha-Nu Chapter hosted Frater Huckabee and ran along-side him during the race.

Students are concerned about the same things as the rest of the population, Huckabee said, including poverty, taxes, health care and the future of retirement plans.

"The decisions the next president makes will greatly affect them and have an impact on their future," he said.

Frater Jeff Lyle, a junior at UNH and Alpha-Nu member, said much of the chapter supports Huckabee because of his advocacy of fitness and plan for health care reform, which features preventive medicine prominently.

State Rep. Julie Brown of Rochester, the lone Republican in Strafford County, served as the mistress of ceremonies. She also praised Huckabee.

"He sets a good example for health care; he was once grossly overweight, and he took care of it," she said. "That's a good example the whole country can look at."

Huckabee was diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes in 2003 and began dieting and running soon after, losing more than 100 pounds.

Brown said she supports Huckabee as a candidate because he's genuinely concerned about people and has been the only candidate to satisfactorily answer her questions on many issues she considers pivotal, including health care and early childhood education.

On the issue of health, Huckabee said he's concerned about obesity, calling it an issue of national security and adding that 61 percent of the country's active-duty military is overweight.

Barry Lucier, a Huckabee supporter and student at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, took part in the run and said he believes Huckabee's campaign is gaining momentum.

"You don't see the rest of the candidates doing these type of things," Lucier said. "Not many other candidates would come to campus, visit a fraternity house and run with them. That down-to-earth approach is appealing. He's doing what he needs to do and setting an example."

Adapted from Fosters Daily Democrat News Article. If you would like to see your chapter news here, contact Communications Coordinator Tom McAninch.