Mike Huckabee to leave Fox News, explore 2016 presidential run

LOS ANGELES — Mike Huckabee is leaving Fox News after six-and-a-half years to explore a presidential run.

The former Arkansas Gov. announced the news on his personal website and will make the news official tonight on the final show as host of the political commentary show “Huckabee.”

“Tonight I will do more than just say goodnight. I will say goodbye,” he wrote. “This is the last edition of ‘Huckabee’ on the Fox News Channel. It’s been the ride of a lifetime, and I have never had so much fun in my life.”

Huckabee previously ran for the Republican presidential nomination and won the 2008 Republican Iowa caucus before withdrawing. He joined Fox News that same year as a commentator and regular contributor.

Huckabee also asked audiences to “stay tuned” to learn about his next move as he “cannot bring myself to rule out another Presidential run.”

“There has been a great deal of speculation as to whether I would run for President,” Huckabee wrote. “If I were willing to absolutely rule that out, I could keep doing this show. But I can’t make such a declaration. I won’t make a decision about running until late in the spring of 2015, but the continued chatter has put Fox News into a position that is not fair to them nor is it possible for me to openly determine political and financial support to justify a race. The honorable thing to do at this point is to end my tenure here at Fox.”