Mike Huckabee in The Iowa Freedom Summit & Ag Summit (preparation for Iowa Caucus)

On Civil Rights: Same-sex marriage leads to criminalization of Christianity

The former governor of Arkansas said it is his "biblical duty" to pray for the members of the Supreme Court as they prepare to rule on same-sex marriage this summer.

"If the courts rule that people have a civil right not only to be a homosexual but a civil right to have a homosexual marriage, then a homosexual couple coming to a pastor who believes in biblical marriage who says 'I can't perform that wedding' will now be breaking the law," he said. "Let me make clear: It's not just saying, 'I'm sorry you have a preference.' No, you will be breaking the law subject to civil, for sure, and possibly criminal penalties for violating the law, depending on how the law is written in communities, states and in the nation."

On Civil Rights: Courts cannot unilaterally allow same-sex marriage

Huckabee said that he cringes whenever he hears people call a court decision "the law of the land." He said, "how many people passed 9th grade civics? There are three branches of government, not one," adding that when a court rules in favor of same-sex marriage, that does not mean that licenses should be issued the following day.

Huckabee told the pastors that if they do follow their convictions according to the Bible, "your behavior will be criminal. Once the courts have been allowed to run over us and nobody stands up for us in the other two branches of government, then God help us all," he said

On Environment: Ethanol mandate is a matter of national security

Huckabee, who won the Iowa caucuses in 2008, hit back at criticism that politicians like him simply support the RFS for political reasons: "The decisions are made not just frankly for what's best for Iowa--that's not the rationale. You can't make a decision and say, 'It's good for Iowa. Gee, they're the caucus state, we better suck up to them.' We better make decisions that are good for every consumer," he said.

On Foreign Policy: Globalists & corporatists are making US more like China

"In China, I felt like they were becoming more like America used to be," he told a crowd of some 900 activists. "But, sadly, America is becoming more like they used to be. Our government is becoming more oppressive; theirs is beginning to ease up. We have a lot of globalists and frankly corporatists instead of having nationalists who put forward the best interests of the United States and working families," he added.

On Foreign Policy: Keep the Cuban embargo; lifting it rewards Cuba

On Free Trade: Trans Pacific Partnership isn't fair trade or free trade

The comments came in response to questions about why the government has kept the embargo in place against Cuba, even as trade barriers with China have been lifted. "We have basically surrendered to the Chinese market," Huckabee said. "We've not put the pressure on them."

Huckabee expressed doubts over the Trans Pacific Partnership. "If it's not fair trade," he said, "it's not free trade."

On Education: Common Core morphed into a frankenstandard that I oppose

On Foreign Policy: Islamic terrorism is the country's most pressing issue

Huckabee was specifically dismissive of economic inequality as a political issue, telling the crowd that "liberals" would press it in the coming presidential campaign but that "intelligence inequality" was a bigger problem.