| − | '''Haley Barbour''' (born October 22, 1947) is the [[Republican Party|Republican]] former governor of his native [[Mississippi]]. His effective handling of [[Hurricane Katrina]]'s effects on his state was widely praised, in contrast with the disastrous recovery effort in neighboring [[Louisiana]]. After heading the [[Republican National Committee]] from 1993–1997, during which the GOP captured both houses of Congress, Barbour succeeded [[Mark Sanford]] of [[South Carolina]] as the leader of the Republican Governors Association in 2009. Term-limited as governor, Barbour has been the subject of speculation about a run for national office, and was expected by some to seek the Republican nomination for [[president]] in 2012. Prior to his election as governor, he headed Barbour Griffith and Rogers, one of the nation's top lobbying firms. He served as Director of the [[White House]] Office of Political Affairs under [[President Ronald Reagan]]. | + | '''Haley Barbour''' (born October 22, 1947) is the [[Republican Party|Republican]] former governor of his native [[Mississippi]]. His effective handling of [[Hurricane Katrina]]'s effects on his state was widely praised, in contrast with the disastrous recovery effort in neighboring [[Louisiana]]. After heading the [[Republican National Committee]] from 1993 to 1997, during which the GOP captured both houses of Congress, Barbour succeeded [[Mark Sanford]] of [[South Carolina]] as the leader of the Republican Governors Association in 2009. Term-limited as governor, Barbour has been the subject of speculation about a run for national office, and was expected by some to seek the Republican nomination for [[president]] in 2012. Prior to his election as governor, he headed Barbour Griffith and Rogers, one of the nation's top lobbying firms. He served as Director of the [[White House]] Office of Political Affairs under [[President Ronald Reagan]]. |
| | He is the second Mississippi Republican governor, the first having been [[Kirk Fordice]], who served for eight years from 1991 to 2000. | | He is the second Mississippi Republican governor, the first having been [[Kirk Fordice]], who served for eight years from 1991 to 2000. |