The Duggar family just deserted Rick Santorum for Mike Huckabee

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Jim Bob Duggar supported Rick Santorum in the 2012 presidential election.

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the parents of the reality TV clan from "19 Kids and Counting," have endorsed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) for president despite their allegiance to former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) in the last presidential election.

Shortly after Huckabee announced his White House campaign on Tuesday, two separate endorsements from Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar appeared on the candidate's website.

The family matriarch hailed Huckabee as a "man of faith who is very wise."

"He will help get our national back on track," she said in praise.

Her husband also posted a rave review of the former Baptist pastor, turned governor, turned FOX News host, turned presidential candidate.

"America needs Governor Huckabee for president! Governor Huckabee has the communication skills of Ronald Reagan, and a common sense business approach to government," Jim Bob Duggar wrote.

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who are parents to 19 children, are also from Arkansas. They are deeply religious and embrace conservative political views. Their oldest son, Josh, now works in politics as the executive director at the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council.

The family supported Huckabee in his 2008 presidential run. Even though the family "begged" Huckabee to run for president in 2012, he declined and instead they settled on former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania).

They even brought 12 of their 19 children to Iowa in 2012 to campaign for Santorum ahead of the Iowa Caucus.

AP Photo/ Beth Hall

The Duggar family, in 2007 celebrating the birth of their 17th child, have endorsed Huckabee in the 2016 race.

Back in 2012, family patriarch, Jim Bob, called Santorum "someone with a proven track record to stand up for what's right, for lower taxes, less government intervention in our lives."

"He's always been an advocate for the unborn. He's somebody that he authored the bill that banned partial birth abortion. That's something that nobody else can say. Whereas Mitt Romney, when he was governor of Massachusetts, he set up a Romneycare program, and included a program where any girl could go in and get an abortion for $50."

This election cycle, Santorum is expected to enter an already crowded field of candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination but the Duggars seem to be already staunchly on Team Huckabee this time around.

The family didn't respond to a request for comment on what they thought about Santorum as a candidate in the 2016 race.