Mike Huckabee's decision not to run leaves a lot up for grabs: Iowa, evangelical voters, South Carolina, the populism space, the anti-Big Business space. And it isn't clear which of the other strong candidates are best equipped to take advantage of his absence in these areas. In his Saturday night announcement, Huckabee went through an extended, proud litany of his strengths (such as his poll standing), but in fact he was a more formidable candidate than he even suggested. He had a clear path to the nomination and a level of support at the grassroots that almost no one in the race -- or poised to enter -- can match.

One thing's for sure: Huckabee will do what he can to make certain that his nemesis, current frontrunner Mitt Romney, is not the party's nominee. What actions that will lead him to take are no more clear than Huckabee's explanation of why he decided not to run.

http://thepage.time.com/2011/05/14/huck-says-no/#ixzz1MNu8fsqK