CONCORD, N.H. (Jan. 7) — Try the Huckaburger.
That’s the latest political entrée at The Barley House, a restaurant right across from the state capitol and famous for its gourmet hamburgers. This one is named for Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
And on Monday, it was a hit with its namesake.
“This is a better hamburger than I’ve had in my whole life,” Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, declared after juicy bites.
The recipe: lean bison meat on a whole-wheat bun, topped off with tomatoes, fresh baby spinach and — yes, really — fried pickles.
The creator of the Huckaburger is Brian Shea, owner of The Barley House. It’s a tribute, said Shea, to Huckabee and his pounds-shedding diet.
“He’s lost some weight, and he’s a healthy eater,” he said. “So we did some research on Arkansas and they have a spinach festival and a fried pickle festival.”
Huckabee visited The Barley House early last summer. “The campaign called us and said the governor was coming in again, and we wanted to do something for him,” Shea said.
This is only Shea’s second primary at the restaurant. But he thrives on the atmosphere of the season. “I’ve never seen quite the frenzy like this,” Shea said. “It’s mayhem. We love it. It creates a buzz and we love to be part of it.”
Before the Huckaburger, banner hung outside the restaurant proclaimed:“The Road to the White House Starts Here.” Shea maintains that the restaurant, which also boasts a Campaign Trail Ale on its menu, is an essential stop for candidates campaigning in New Hampshire.
As he took bites the distinctive burger, Huckabee catered to the people of New Hampshire, describing them as hospitable. “Look, they even make special burgers,” he said.
After sampling, Huckabee declared the dish a “taste sensation.” He predicted it would be around for a long time. “Years and years from now, after I’ve served my second term as president, this burger will be a signature item,” he said.
Before the event, Huckabee supporters filled the corners of Concord’s Main Street, near the restaurant. They proudly waved red-white-blue signs, spelling out “Huckabee” in yellow letters. And they entertained passers by with chants of “We like Mike!” and “Honk for Huckabee!”
Craig Chormann, 55, of Perinton was of them. Chormann is the coordinator of New York state meet-up groups for Huckabee. He describes Huckabee as “the most authentic candidate.”
“He’s consistent. If you go back years and check his positions, they haven’t changed,” he said. “His core beliefs, I think, have remained the same.”
Huckabee is the first candidate Chormann has campaigned for. “The reason I decided to do something this year is I’m tired of left vs. right, contentious, political debate,” he said. “We need a president whose going to bring this country together. I think, on our side, Mike Huckabee is the guy to do that.”
In its latest public opinion poll, the Concord Monitor reported Monday that Huckabee was last among the Republican candidates with 9 percent of the New Hampshire vote.
But Chormann is optimistic. “A third place finish would be a good finish, in my expectation,” he said. “There’s so little time between Iowa and New Hampshire, there’s not enough time for people to get to know him. So, onto South Carolina.”
Brittany Crowley, 19, is a sophomore at the University of Rochester who came to campaign for the primary. Crowley is part of a grassroots campaign meet-up group from her hometown of Albany. She registered as a Republican to specifically vote in the New York state primaries on Feb. 5.
She pointed to the number of young people in the crowds outside the restaurant among Huckabee’s supporters. Young voters have been drawn to Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Ron Paul, she said.
“But I see a lot of young people supporting Mike Huckabee,” she said. “That’s great. It shows he’s got a spark to him, a certain vitality. I don’t want a candidate who’s going to dry up.”
(Melissa Daniels, sophomore newspaper journalism and music history major, is reporting for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.)
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