Barbour Courts Meridian

By: Stan Torgerson

Updated: Wed 6:08 PM, Feb 05, 2003

Haley Barbour, a likely republican candidate for governor in Mississippi, came to Meridian Tuesday night for a meeting with his supporters.

Barbour has all but announced he's running because he says the state currently has a leadership vacuum.

"If we were in as good a shape as we were as a state in 2000, three years ago, I wouldn't think about doing this," said Barbour. "But the fact of the matter is we've got some real problems and we need somebody who will make priorities and stick to 'em."

A crowd of nearly 200 greeted Barbour. It was his eighth such meeting statewide in the last 30 days.

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