Hundreds of Aggies pressed to the front of the Rudder Theatre stage as if they were waiting for a rock concert to begin.
Noise reverberated through the large hall. Some in the frenzied crowd held up signs declaring their affection for the man who was soon to take the stage. Others shouted his name.
And then he appeared.
Flashing a smile, Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee slipped the strap of a bass guitar over his head and began to sway back and forth as he plucked its strings.
The former Arkansas governor is trailing Sen. John McCain for the Republican presidential nod. But you wouldn't have known it Friday.
"I am pumped to be in Aggieland today," Huckabee shouted to the crowd after finishing a rendition of Sweet Home Alabama with the Huntsville-based Cody Johnson Band.
"This college campus has one of the most incredible traditions of anything in America," he said. "It looks like we might just have the 12th Man standing here today."
College Station was one of several campaign stops Huckabee made Friday as he trekked across Texas, preparing for the state's Tuesday primaries.
About 1,000 people -- mostly Aggies, some of whom waited two hours for seats -- crowded into the 750-seat theater hoping to catch a glimpse of Huckabee and hear his message. Another 1,500 were shuffled into a nearby room, where they watched the rally on television.
"He almost didn't do it! He almost passed me up!" Aggie sophomore Michael Eckart exclaimed after the rally as he climbed over a row of seats grasping campaign signs autographed by Huckabee. "I shook his hand twice!"
After kicking off the campaign event with his musical stylings, Huckabee stressed the importance of voting for him. People between the ages of 18 and 30 will be most affected by the decisions being made now in Washington, the 52-year-old politician said.
The people in Washington have left the next generation of Americans with a $9 trillion debt. So why would anyone in that generation elect someone who was there and helped to create such a mess, he asked as the Aggies in the crowd hissed in response.
Huckabee stressed the importance of his Fair Tax plan and noted his campaign priorities: lower taxes, less government, states' rights and parental responsibility. He also seemed to appeal to the independent and sometimes arrogant nature of Texans as he made references to the Alamo and the state's fight for independence.
"If we win Texas, everything changes," Huckabee said. "Texans have a wonderful history of standing strong, independence and doing what is right no matter what."
His remarks were tailored to the crowd from the Lone Star State. But that obviously wasn't his secret weapon.
Shortly after taking the stage, Huckabee introduced celebrity supporter Chuck Norris and jokingly suggested that the star could serve as his secretary of defense and homeland security. The already shrieking crowd hollered even louder as Norris walked on stage. Scads of people thrust cameras into the air hoping to get a snapshot of the action hero.
"I love you, Chuck!" one man screamed out after the rally as Norris and Huckabee, together with their wives, made their way through the crowd, stopping to sign autographs and pose for pictures.
A&M sophomore Anthony Villarreal was among the supporters who arrived at Rudder Theatre 90 minutes before the doors opened to ensure a good seat. His roommate, Eckart, joined him in line about 20 minutes later after his Friday morning class was over.
The pair described Huckabee as charismatic and said his values were more closely aligned with Texas A&M and most of its students. Sitting in the theater before the rally, they said they hoped to hear what Huckabee could do for college students. Villarreal said he was particularly interested in Huckabee's plans for student loans.
"I like Mike Huckabee. I think it's great he didn't just give in," Villarreal said, referring to the suggestion that Huckabee withdraw from the race. "I think McCain really missed out by not coming here."
Bryan couple Jo Ann and Lou Zaeske, both in their 60s, also crowded into the theater Friday, hoping to see and hear from the candidate.
The Zaeskes, who have been married 44 years, described themselves as conservative independents who like Huckabee because he shares their beliefs about family values. McCain, they said, is too liberal and has been divorced, like former Republican hopeful Rudy Giuliani. How can a candidate who obviously can't run a marriage be trusted to run the country, they asked.
If the November election pits McCain against Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, Lou Zaeske said, he probably would cast a ballot for the Democrats because Obama seems to have a genuine interest in working across party lines.
Until then, the Zaeskes said, they are hoping Huckabee can pull out a come-from-behind win.
"We like Mike," Jo Ann Zaeske said. "Really, he has a message people need to hear. He, too, has hope for America."
• Holly Huffman's e-mail address is holly.huffman@theeagle.com.
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