Washington (CNN) - Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, one of several Republicans thought to be considering a White House bid in 2012, is making another trip to a key early voting state.
Barbour, the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, will visit South Carolina on March 15 to keynote the Spartanburg County GOP's annual President's Day dinner. Spartanburg County GOP Chairwoman LaDonna Ryggs told CNN that the event – which she described as "a very large fundraiser" – was re-scheduled from its original date in February.
Barbour has already made trips in recent months to the presidential proving grounds of Iowa and New Hampshire, but at the time he said those trips were part of his duties as RGA chairman. South Carolina will elect a new governor in November.
One of Barbour's political confidantes said it's understandable the governor's political travels will raise suspicions about a possible 2012 bid, but said Barbour is genuinely focused of winning governor's races this fall.
"It's natural that people will make some assumptions because South Carolina is an early primary state, but if it had been Alabama or Florida or some other state, he would have been just as eager to go," said the person close to Barbour, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about his thinking. "It is who is he is. He loves going to these things. He calls it political recreation."
Ryggs said she reached out to invite Barbour to the dinner, because he is a strong conservative who "is very popular" in Spartanburg County. "He will be a good draw," she said.
Ryggs added that she has been in touch with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal about appearing in Spartanburg later this year.
She also said she reached out last year to Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels about a visit, but was told that the governor was planning to focus on his home state for the time being. She said Daniels would "definitely be contender" for the Republican nomination if he decided to run.
But Ryggs expressed surprise that more potential presidential candidates haven't made early trips to South Carolina. Possible contenders like Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Mike Pence and Rick Santorum have made recent visits, but the state hasn't seen the same kind of early foot traffic that it did in the two years before the 2008 election.
Ryggs said she was particularly surprised that she never heard back from Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty after reaching out to his staff about a possible South Carolina appearance.
"We want them to start coming to South Carolina," she said. "I was really surprised, because I thought if they were serious about running they would start to branch out by now."
From CNN Politics
© 2014 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help | CNN Newsource | License Footage
Stacie, a confederate flag tatoo is far better than a hammer and sickle or swaztika flying in the Whitehouse! I recall a not too distant past Whitehouse directive calling for citizens to report anyone showing dissent against the Obama ideologies to the Whitehouse, and something from our National Security Advisor profiling returning Iraqi war vets as potential homegrown terrorists, didn't those directives come from the transparent progressive Whitehouse?
On looks alone, I would not vote for him. He looks like a neo-nazi racist, that would set our progress back by 50 years. No rights for women to control their bodies, Jim Crow laws required. Between Palin and this guy, is this the best that the republicans can do? No thanks, I will stick with what we have now.
Another Regan retread running for POTUS. This sub-human is as slimy as they come. He is a follower of the KKK and all that is racist. You GOP dimwits get on my last nerve!!
Anybody but another idiot yankee, we have seen what disasters they cause when they get in power.
Old fat white guy from the South. The Republican from Central Casting. He's perfect!
Just another NEOCON
lets get the white sheets out another hillbilly republican running for
Office just think then we can fly the confederate flag instead of the stars and strips
It's amazing how out-of-touch the GOP is STILL. When will they get the memo that America has no need or want for W.O.R.M.S.
(White, Old, Republican, Male, Southerner)
you right wingers ned to find someone to run!!
u might be mad now but wait until you run a retard or a racist and lose again.
if anyone needs clarifiaction on who the retard is please aske.
ok ok it is plain?!!
@eddie comments "he hope palin does run, she scares the liberals to death" well eddie ole boy she scares anybody with a decent amount ot intellengence to death, obviously you have no intellengence this woman is a compete idiot, she only has the skills to run in circles, that's the extent of her running anything. I get so tired of clowns like eddie saying the liberals are afraid of this nit wit, yeah we should be afraid can you imagine what this ignorant woman will do if she ever has a position to run something?
"another fat, WHITE, old racist angry fart
No southerners will get my vote – especially ones that remind me too much of Boss Hog.
Look at that picture – typical bigoted old fat white republican."
Just a small sample, read the rest of the Democrat posts here or talk to one to see a person that operates only on hate. Its clear reading a Democrat post why the Civil Rights Act would not have passed if they had their way. They may change who they hate but they will always need to hate, that is why they are different from the rest of us true Americans.
Democrats will judge a person by their looks, you will be hard pressed to find just one example of a person like that at any tea party meeting or any republican in this whole nation. Those on the right judge by character, something a lib will never understand.
Just what we need karl roves best buddy. another lying republican thief. this guy is strom thurmond g.w. bush ronnie reagan all rolled into one.
Who will be his running mate? Jubilation T. Cornpone?
Well, at least we know where the Klan vote would go!
Who says the GOP is all old white guys? People with a grasp of the reality of the situation? Now if he can find a hood he can get the KK... I mean "tea parties" behind him.
Haley Barbour is going to my ex-state of SC to address some kind od KKK conservative group. Hey, Haley, if you see Mark Sanfraud, tell him I said HI, but if I was you I wouldn't take the wife, Sanfraud may have the hots for her!!
For those of you that like to refer to Mississippi as being last in everything, I would point out that compared to the economies of California and many of the NE states, we are not bankrupt or even close. We also have lower taxes. Hmmmm. Makes one wonder who's the smarter state/people. Plus we could just beat your tails in a war.
Get a good look at the brown shirt behind this fat creep.Haley would look the part in a nazi uniform.I hope they all leave the Union and form their own country.They all hate unions so much anyway and want to bring back slave labor.
Mississippi has the union's economy, right? They have the best schools and the best infrastructure, right? Why do these morons believe they are the only ones who should share in America's abundance. Oh yes, I forgot, they are the party of the old fat white guys with guns sheets and ropes.
If this guy and Sarah Palin are all the Republicans have to offer, I predict Obama will be re-elected by 20 points.
Haley Barbour is a racist from the bottom of his heart. He has been our governor far too long. It is time these sheetless Klans sit down and shut up. A vote for Haley is a vote for oppression.
Good luck with that.
I live in Mississippi. The main thing Barbour is cutting here is the schools. And you are right he is an exlobbyist. I for one would not be voting for him.
Eddie, contrary to what the reichwing screaming heads tell you, "libruls" aren't "afraid" of dim bulb barbie. We're alarmed that people like you worship her and would see fit to elect her to the highest office in the land. The first time some other head of state challenged her on something, she'd whine and cry, then threaten to start a war with them. She's nothing more than george bush in a skirt. We had 8 years of that fiasco. The country wouldn't survive the likes of her.
This is another example – why do we not have term limits? Isn't 19 terms too much?