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Sources inside the exploratory presidential campaign for former Massachusetts Gov. Willard Romney say there are high level discussions taking place that would put former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the top most slot of the exploratory committee.

"The talk is Huckabee serving as chairman of the exploratory committee," says one insider.

Huckabee has been mulling a presidential bid of his own, and was viewed as a potential threat to the Romney campaign, particularly in the South, where the minister and former governor would peel away social conservatives from the Massachusetts moderate.

"This strategically would be an interesting decision, not only for Romney, but for Huckabee," says one Washington insider who is aligned with the McCain campaign. "It helps Mitt marginally, I don't see what's in it for Huckabee at all, which to my way of thinking means it won't happen."

On Thursday, Romney released the names of his big money finance co-chairs, which featured at least one eye-brow raiser, eBay CEO Meg Whitman, a woman considered by most to be of a liberal political stripe on social issues, as well as some economic issues. In 2006 Whitman entangled eBay in the "net neutrality" fight in Congress, sending a letter to millions of eBay customers and clients, asking them to support federal government regulation of the Internet.