Huckabee says his campaign is re-energized

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said his Super Tuesday wins have energized his campaign for the U.S. Republican presidential nomination.

In a series of appearances on the Wednesday morning TV talk circuit, Huckabee said his showing in the coast-to-coast primaries and caucuses Tuesday shows the contest hasn't been reduced to a two-person race between U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

"I didn't think I'd ever disappeared but now I think everybody's getting the point that there is a person from Arkansas in this race and we just were very excited," Huckabee told NBC's "Today" show.

"Contributions are coming in. Our people are revived. They're ready to go. So it's a completely different day for us. And all we needed was just, frankly, the time and the money to show that we were competitive."

On Fox News's "Fox and Friends," Huckabee noted his wins came in states Republicans must carry to capture the White House -- Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Huckabee denied he and McCain cut a deal in the West Virginia Republican state primary convention. Romney had charged dirty politicking was involved in the switch of McCain supporters to Huckabee on the second ballot, giving him the win over Romney, who took the first ballot -- but not with a big enough margin to win the state.

Asked if he's angling for the No. 2 spot on a ticket headed by McCain, Huckabee insisted he's after the nomination itself but allowed no one turns it down when asked to be the vice presidential candidate.