Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has snagged a win in the latest presidential straw poll.
The Mississippi Republican won the latest South Carolina GOP straw poll, the most recent sign that Mr. Barbour is seriously considering entering the 2012 Republican presidential campaign.
The straw poll was conducted by the Charleston County Republican Party at its annual convention. Mr. Barbour won 22 percent of the 148 votes cast, while former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney finished second with 12 percent. Donald Trump finished fourth at 10 percent, while Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee tied at nine percent. Texas Rep. Ron Paul received six percent.
The straw poll victory is the first for Mr. Barbour despite a focused effort on building support for a potential campaign. Mr. Barbour has traveled to South Carolina a number of times since January, forging a close relationship with the state’s Republican governor, Nikki Haley.
Mr. Barbour has said he will announce his decision following the conclusion of the 2011 Mississippi legislative session. The Republican governor has faced criticism from state lawmakers in recent weeks concerning his out-of-state travel.
