Huckabee Wins Big in South, Challenges for Conservative Vote

"Today, people across this country are saying that, yes, we heard what the pundits said, but this is our vote, not theirs, this is our election, not theirs, this is our presidency, not theirs," Huckabee said.

Huckabee told ABC News that if it came down to a fight between him and McCain, "You're going to see the most civil and gentlemanly campaign we've seen in a long, long time."

"You know, we have genuine respect for each other and genuinely like each other," Huckabee said on "Good Morning America."

When asked about the possibility of a McCain-Huckabee ticket, the former Arkansas governor said, "What about a Huckabee-McCain ticket? That sounds better to me."

Related

Your Candidate? Find Your Presidential Match!

BLOGS: POLITICAL RADAR

WATCH: VIDEO: Political Plays of the Day

Drawing on Conservative Base

His campaign says he will draw differences with McCain on constitutional amendments against abortion and same-sex marriage, which he supports and McCain opposes, as well as on McCain's support for the immigration reform compromise that failed last year, and his votes against the Bush tax cuts.

Huckabee got an unexpected boost earlier in the day when he won the West Virginia Party Convention. His campaign manager, Chip Saltsman, called him to tell him the news.

"Are you sittin' down?" Saltsman asked in his Tennessee drawl. "I've got some news for you from West Virginia."

"What is it?" Huckabee asked.

"Our guys on the ground in West Virginia have been working really hard," Saltsman said, "and the news is you only won by a couple votes."

It took a second for Huckabee to process what Saltsman was saying.

"Wait — did you say I won by a couple votes?" Huckabee asked. "That is great news!"

The West Virginia news provides some well-needed wind at the back for Huckabee, who hasn't won a contest since the Iowa caucuses.

He, Romney and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who has four delegates, all campaigned in West Virginia, Tuesday.

No winner emerged after the first round of voting at the West Virginia GOP convention, though Paul — who came in fourth — was eliminated.

Romney led with 464 votes, or 41 percent, followed by Huckabee, with 375 (33 percent), McCain with 176 (16 percent) and Paul with 118 (10 percent).

As voting continued to a second round and it was clear McCain wouldn't win, many McCain supporters jumped to back Huckabee.

With the support of those supporters who had gone in the first round, for Paul and McCain, Huckabee squeaked past Romney for a win in the second round of voting. Huckabee garnered 52 percent of the vote to Romney's 47 percent.