Huckabee’s Iowa supporters skeptical he’ll run in 2012

Is Mike Huckabee running for president in 2012?

Several of his top Iowa supporters and former aides tell the Des Moines Register's Tom Beaumont they expect the former Arkansas governor to skip the race. Among other things, they cite Huckabee's decision to put off announcing his 2012 intentions until the summer and a lack of evidence he's doing any work to prepare for a potential bid.

Eric Woolson, who ran Huckabee's '08 campaign, says he's been in touch with his former boss, but only occasionally. He tells Beaumont it will be difficult for Huckabee to organize for the upcoming Iowa Straw Poll in August if he waits much longer.

"It's going to be too late for some candidates to be successful if they don't get started soon, and they won't know it's too late until it's already too late," Woolson said. "I'm not saying they have to formally announce. I'm saying there's a lot of groundwork that needs to be done, and every day that passes is a day they won't get back."

(Photo of Huckabee in Israel last week: Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)