Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee addressed claims Wednesday that one of his aides blocked fellow Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz from speaking at a Kentucky rally for Kim Davis on Tuesday.
“Look, I invited him to come and meet with Kim Davis. It was our event. We were kind of surprised that he showed up. But you know, once he was there, we invited him to come and meet with her. So I’m not sure what the controversy is,” Mr. Huckabee said on Fox News, Politico reported.
“The program, of course, was already settled, and I’m happy that he was able to come and show his support for her, even if it was at the last minute,” he added.
Mr. Huckabee gathered with social conservatives on Tuesday in Grayson to celebrate the release of Ms. Davis, the Kentucky county clerk jailed for contempt after refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Mr. Cruz’s campaign did not make the Texas senator’s intentions to go to the event known until the morning of the event, Politico reported.
“We planned, paid for, and promoted the event and Sen. Cruz showed up the day of and tried to take it over. It would have been the equivalent to us showing up at their religious liberty event in Iowa a couple weeks ago, claiming it was our event, and expecting to give the keynote speaking role,” a Huckabee aide told Politico. “First time any of us have ever seen a presidential candidate crash another candidate’s event without so much as reaching out to get permission to attend. Bizarre.”
During the event, a Huckabee aide reportedly blocked Mr. Cruz from reaching the microphones as he was leaving the detention center where he met with Ms. Davis, Politico reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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