Mississippi governor Haley Barbour spent Tuesday urging Indiana Republican governor Mitch Daniels to enter the 2012 Republican presidential campaign.
“I think every good candidate ought to run, and I think Mitch would be an extremely good candidate,” Mr. Barbour told CNN in a brief interview at the Republican National Committee’s state chairmen’s meeting in Dallas.
The Mississippi Republican, who announced earlier this month that he would not enter the 2012 race, makes the remark as Mr. Daniels continues to consider entering the upcoming presidential campaign. The Indiana Republican told the Indianapolis Star Monday that he will announce his decision soon.
“I’m not going to take much longer,” Mr. Daniels said. “I wish people would figure out we’re not BS’ing them.”
Mr. Barbour, a close friend of Mr. Daniels, is widely seen as one of the most influential Republicans in the party. The Mississippi Republican’s decision not to enter the race was seen as invitation to Mr. Daniels, whom many see as a more viable candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.
That said, Mr. Daniels has been hesitant to enter the race. The Republican governor has fared well in a number of polls, but recent reports note his wife, Cheri, has objections to him entering the 2012 race.
Asked if he expected the current Republican presidential field to expand beyond the current field of official candidates and potential candidates, Mr. Barbour responded: “You shouldn’t count that out.”
