Monday, April 25, 2011

Haley Barbour: "I will not be a candidate for president next year."

Haley Barbour has announced that he will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012. here is his statement from  his website:
"I will not be a candidate for president next year. This has been a difficult, personal decision, and I am very grateful to my family for their total support of my going forward, had that been what I decided. 
"Hundreds of people have encouraged me to run and offered both to give and raise money for a presidential campaign. Many volunteers have organized events in support of my pursuing the race. Some have dedicated virtually full time to setting up preliminary organizations in critical, early states and to helping plan what has been several months of intensive activity. 
"I greatly appreciate each and every one of them and all their outstanding efforts. If I have disappointed any of them in this decision, I sincerely regret it. 
"A candidate for president today is embracing a ten-year commitment to an all-consuming effort, to the virtual exclusion of all else. His (or her) supporters expect and deserve no less than absolute fire in the belly from their candidate. I cannot offer that with certainty, and total certainty is required. 
"This decision means I will continue my job as Governor of Mississippi, my role in the Republican Governors Association and my efforts to elect a new Republican president in 2012, as the stakes for the nation require that effort to be successful."

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like this makes a Daniels run a little more likely.

-Martha

Anonymous said...

I kinda like Barbour as a firewall against Huck, but Huck probably isn't running, either.

-Martha

larry said...

These guys are looking at Romney's grounwork, found raising, and favors owed him, and are saying, why bother.

Doug NYC GOP said...

Martha,

This could be the run up of casting Daniels as the anti-Romney. Huck and Haley could both back him, as they are all friendly, despite the "truce" kerfuffle.

Anonymous said...

Doug, true. I think it's fairly likely that this move has something to do with Daniels, but maybe not. Maybe he simply realized the obstacles were too large. He's no dummy. I rather liked him (excepting the voice/southern vibe), but his racial issues are too much baggage to overcome.

What I don't believe is that he will ever back Huck, as some Huck fans have suggested. He's too smart for that. I have no idea what he thinks of Romney. probably doesn't matter.

-Martha

Ann said...

Another One Bites The Dust!

Anonymous said...

The early bird catches the worms!

I agree with larry.

I think they know the MONEY will be with Romney.

He's got the organization and his chits all ready.

zeke

ConMan said...

Barbour was one of my alternate choices if Romney were not to run.