Kathy A. Bolten

kbolten@dmreg.com

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was greeted with chants of “We like Mike” Sunday evening before the exclusive showing of the movie “God’s Not Dead 2,” in which he makes a cameo appearance.

Huckabee’s campaign sponsored the free showing of the movie, which is slated for release in April. Originally, only one screen at Jordan Creek Town Center’s Century Theaters was going to be rented. But demand was so great for tickets, that two screens were leased, campaign officials said.

Huckabee reminded the more than 800 people at the theaters to caucus for him on Monday night.

“If you don’t pledge to do that, we won’t let you out of here until after the caucuses are over,” he joked.

At an earlier event on Sunday, Huckabee was cheered when he emphatically told the group of about 150 people that he wasn’t dropping out of the race. A Fox News commentator on Sunday said that Huckabee was going to endorse one of the other Republicans running for president, the candidate said.

“I’m not getting out of the race,” Huckabee said to applause and cheers. “I’m staying in and I’m going to do great tomorrow night and keep going and win the White House.”

Republican front-runner Donald Trump is holding a campaign event in Little Rock, Ark. on Wednesday, which may have fueled some speculation that Huckabee was going to endorse the business entrepreneur. Huckabee said he will be in South Carolina on Wednesday.

Huckabee, during an interview, said he believes some of the rumors are coming from other campaigns.

“There are clear efforts being made by some who are saying a vote for me or Rick Santorum is a wasted vote,” Huckabee said. “That’s nonsense. It’s an insult to the voters of Iowa to tell them if they vote their convictions…that they’ve wasted their vote.”

Huckabee acknowledged in his afternoon event that his poll numbers have registered in the low single numbers. But, he said, many Iowans haven’t yet made up their minds on who to support in the caucuses.

A Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll released Saturday showed that 45 percent of caucusgoers could be persuaded to change their minds before caucus voting. The poll showed Huckabee with 2 percent of support.

One of the movie-goers, Sheila Stielow of Des Moines, said she didn’t realize Huckabee was still in the race. “I thought he dropped out,” said Stielow, who added she hasn’t decided whom to support.

Retired teacher Mary Hare of Des Moines, a Huckabee supporter, plans to caucus for the former Arkansas governor. “I don’t think he’s gotten the same respect as other candidates have,” she said.

Huckabee, who won the 2008 Iowa caucuses, told supporters at the coffee shop that the way to “win the caucus is the old fashioned way – hard work and a lot of handshaking.”

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley introduced Huckabee Sunday afternoon. Grassley has appeared with several candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination and after he spoke, reiterated that he isn’t endorsing any candidate.

He told The Des Moines Register he’s appearing at the different rallies to encourage Iowans to attend the caucus.

“People in the other 49 states don’t think we should be first in the nation and I want to prove to the rest of the country that we take this very seriously and we intend to maintain this position,” Grassley said.

At the events

SETTING: Meeting room at Inspired Grounds Cafe, 117 Fifth St. West Des Moines and Century Theaters at Jordan Creek Town Center.

CROWD: Standing room only crowd of about 150 at the coffee shop; more than 800 at the movie theaters.

REACTION: Crowd at the coffee shop cheered when Huckabee, in a reference to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, said, “We know what happens when you bring into the White House an untested freshman senator.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Huckabee will attend a caucus night event at Noah's Event Venue, 1805 90th Street, West Des Moines on Monday. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.; Huckabee is expected to appear later in the evening.