海角大神

On this day of important US political primaries, as we wait for the vote totals to roll in from Alaska and Arizona and Florida, we鈥檝e been wondering this: Who鈥檚 working harder for the candidates they鈥檝e endorsed, Sarah Palin or Mike Huckabee?

In this notional contest between two theoretical (or is that theological?) candidates for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, we鈥檒l put Huckabee in first, at least to start. We reached this position after a rigorous analysis, which mostly consisted of flipping through some social media.

Have you seen ? The man is on fire. He鈥檚 spitting out lists of who to vote for in races from Alaska to Florida. He鈥檚 even had time to stick in a plug for the less-noticed Oklahoma primary. (He鈥檚 pushing James Lankford for Congress in the fifth Congressional district GOP race, and John Doak for insurance commissioner. In case you鈥檙e interested.)

Ex-Gov. Palin, by contrast, seems more relaxed. No, you know, 鈥渞elaxed鈥� isn鈥檛 the right word 鈥� she seems more focused on her home state. She鈥檚 got lots of stuff about supporting Joe Miller in his beat to unseat incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska鈥檚 GOP Senate primary. She鈥檚 even posted on her Facebook page.

However, Palin does not seem to have posted anything recently about the guy she endorsed in the Arizona Senate primary. That would be John McCain, her one-time running mate. (By the way, wouldn鈥檛 you love to see Sen. McCain cast in that reality series that Levi Johnston is filming about running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska? McCain could be the cranky housekeeper who keeps threatening to 鈥渇ilibuster some sense鈥� into Johnston, Bristol Palin鈥檚 ex-paramour.)

But to be fair there are lots of ways to support your endorsees, and shout-outs on election day are a superficial measure. Palin went to Arizona and campaigned for McCain earlier this year when it looked like he might be in actual trouble in his primary race against J.D. Hayworth. The polls are better for McCain now. He doesn鈥檛 need last-ditch help.

The Murkowski family, in contrast, is something of a b锚te noire for Palin. She beat Sen. Murkowski鈥檚 father, Frank, in the 2006 gubernatorial primary. It鈥檚 Alaska. It鈥檚 personal.

So, yes, if Miller loses (as expected) it may look like Palin is losing juice in her home state. But she鈥檚 done well with other recent endorsements 鈥� GOP California Senate nominee Carly Fiorina credits Palin with helping her win a tough primary fight.

In the meantime, Huckabee鈥檚 been in Florida in recent days, campaigning with his endorsee for governor, state Attorney General Bill McCollum, among other candidates. No word on whether he brought along his band, Capitol Offense.

So we鈥檒l call it a tie. But we鈥檇 be remiss if we left things without saying this: Happy Birthday Mike! Today is Huckabee鈥檚 55th.