--- description: "Good people make mistakes and do regrettable and even disgusting things" title: Mike Huckabee Stands By Josh Duggar image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt854c046b80363202/69885164cd1bba103d6fb789/huckabee1.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [2016 Election](/tag/2016-election/) ## 2016 Election Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Mike Huckabee Stands By Josh Duggar by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 22, 2015 4:43 PM CUT  Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks as he officially announces his candidacy for the 2016 Presidential race on May 5, 2015 in Hope, Arkansas. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks as he officially announces his candidacy for the 2016 Presidential race on May 5, 2015 in Hope, Arkansas.Matt Sullivan—Getty Images by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 22, 2015 4:43 PM CUT Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee supported Josh Duggar on Friday in the wake of reports that the reality TV star had molested five children when he was a teenager. The former Arkansas governor wrote [on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/mikehuckabee/posts/10152994543137869 "undefined") that members of the Duggar family have his support, and that “today’s blood-thirsty media does not understand… that being a minor means that one’s judgement is not mature.” He stressed Duggar’s young age at the time of the incidents and that “the victims wanted this to be left in the past.” “No one needs to defend Josh’s actions as a teenager,” Huckabee wrote, “but the fact that he confessed his sins to those he harmed, sought help, and has gone forward to live a responsible and circumspect life as an adult is testament to his family’s authenticity and humility.” Duggar said in a statement after the news broke that he [“acted inexcusably.”](http://time.com/3893414/josh-duggar-molestation-accusation/ "undefined") **MORE** [Who Are the Duggars?](http://time.com/3893819/josh-duggar-family-19-kids-and-counting/ "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3894393/josh-duggar-mike-huckabee/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3894393/josh-duggar-mike-huckabee/"},"headline":"Mike Huckabee Stands By Josh Duggar","datePublished":"2015-05-22T16:43:38.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T07:34:30.545Z","description":"\"Good people make mistakes and do regrettable and even disgusting things\"","url":"https://time.com/3894393/josh-duggar-mike-huckabee/","keywords":["2016 Election","2016 Election topic","Crime","Television","celebrities","mike huckabee","19 Kids and Counting","josh duggar"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt854c046b80363202/69885164cd1bba103d6fb789/huckabee1.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sarah Begley","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt854c046b80363202/69885164cd1bba103d6fb789/huckabee1.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"huckabee","caption":"HOPE, AR - MAY 05: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks as he officially announces his candidacy for the 2016 Presidential race on May 5, 2015 in Hope, Arkansas. Huckabee, a Republican, previously ran for the presidency in 2008. (Photo by Matt Sul","creditText":"Matt Sullivan—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/2016-election/","name":"2016 Election"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3894393/josh-duggar-mike-huckabee/","name":"Mike Huckabee Stands By Josh Duggar"}}]}] ```