Huckabee Hasn't Put Down the Mic

As the presidential race heats up, candidates from both parties have backed off their lucrative speaking engagements, but not Mike Huckabee, the Politico says. The pastor-turned-frontrunner has been making the rounds at universities, charging $25,000 per speech. “If I don’t work, I don’t eat,” Huckabee said, insisting he enjoys none of the perks of “independently wealthy” people or members of Congress.

Huckabee doesn’t charge churches, but his campaign hit a snag after a rep from his ex-speaking agency was caught offering his services to a church for $25,000. Huckabee, whose gigs usually focus on health policy, had two or three paid speeches last month but has none scheduled until February because the campaign “has just eaten up” his time. (More Mike Huckabee stories.)