Republican Haley Barbour appears headed for certain re-election Tuesday in the “off-year” election for governor of Mississippi — buoyed by his image of leadership in state rebuilding efforts following the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Eaves and the state Democratic Party sought to discredit Barbour’s reputation, arguing that federal contracts benefited Barbour’s associates and emphasizing that there are Mississippi residents who still face bureaucratic red tape in securing housing and other financial aid more than two years after the natural disaster. Eaves also alleged that the blind trust Barbour holds, a type of financial arrangement politicians often create to avoid conflicts of interest, is not “blind” at all, and — on one of the hot-button issues on the current political landscape — accused Barbour of being weak on enforcing immigration laws.
But Barbour, who also is conservative on social issues, ran on his four years of service and urged voters to stick with him in what he has labeled a “Moving Forward Together” strategy.
Magnolia Tribune
