This just in:

Huckabee begins Michigan push

High-profile backer’s 8-city swing may be followed by TV ads, visit by candidate late in week.

Mark Hornbeck / Detroit News Lansing Bureau

Republican Mike Huckabee’s late-starting Michigan campaign begins in earnest this week with an eight-city swing by a high-profile supporter, possibly followed by TV advertising and an appearance by the candidate himself late in the week.

Huckabee’s loose band of volunteer supporters, meanwhile, will continue their campaign of e-mailing, leafleting and phone-calling, focusing primarily on evangelical pastors, home-schoolers and church-goers who ushered the former Arkansas governor to his impressive first-place finish in last week’s Iowa caucuses. Huckabee is downplaying his chances in today’s primary in New Hampshire, which does not have a large religious voting base. Polls show him in third place there.

Minuteman Project Founder and President Jim Gilchrist will come to Michigan Wednesday and Thursday for appearances in Detroit, Flint, Saginaw, Midland, Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Lansing. Gilchrist’s California-based citizens’ group patrols the border and reports illegal immigrants to authorities. The Huckabee campaign, which is flying on a wing and a prayer here, is paying his expenses, Gilchrist said.

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Gilchrist’s endorsement of Huckabee has been opposed by some members of the Minuteman Project because Huckabee backed in-state college tuition for illegal immigrant students while he was governor of Arkansas. But Gilchrist said Huckabee supports more border patrols, more secure fences and deportation of illegal immigrants.

“Mike Huckabee is a viable candidate and is the only candidate with a plan to resolve the illegal invasion crisis,” said Gilchrist, who personally endorsed Huckabee a month ago.

Meanwhile, “Trust Huckabee,” an independent group that bought TV ads on his behalf in Iowa and has made thousands of phone calls to Michigan voters, is considering TV ads in Michigan, said Patrick Davis, the group’s director.

“It’s a possibility in Michigan and in other states,” Davis said.

Huckabee is relying on outside groups and volunteers to campaign for him here because he has no paid campaign team in Michigan.

The campaign hasn’t confirmed it, but Huckabee’s Michigan supporters expect he’ll make at least one stop in Michigan — possibly on Friday. Huckabee has been in the state twice. (read the rest HERE)