Huckabee Endorsed by Former Wyoming Governor

Mike Huckabee has received the endorsement of a former Governor of Wyoming, this coming just 10 days before Wyoming holds a nominating convention:

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Former Gov. Jim Geringer said Wednesday that he supports Mike Huckabee for president.

"He's the genuine article," said Geringer, a Republican governor from 1995-2003.

Geringer's endorsement of the former Republican governor of Arkansas came 10 days before Wyoming's GOP county conventions, where the first national delegates of primary season will be chosen.

Geringer lives in Wheatland and has been a technology consultant since leaving office. He told The Associated Press that he likes Huckabee because Huckabee doesn't try to fabricate an image of himself.

"It's that genuineness that's most attractive, plus his principles and his approach to governing and his willingness to work with quite a wide range of people," Geringer said.

Huckabee said in a release that he respected Geringer's "intelligence and leadership."

Wyoming's Republicans moved up their conventions to Jan. 5 in a bid for national attention. Huckabee hasn't campaigned in the state but Geringer said that didn't much matter to him.

"I'm content with knowing who he and what he's all about, that he doesn't have to come out to make a big splash," Geringer said. "He'll come out when the timing is right."

Huckabee did visit Wyoming for the 2006 Lander One Shot Antelope Hunt.

Also last year, Huckabee accompanied Geringer's successor, Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal, on a trip to Iraq.