NEWTON, Iowa (Reuters) - Mississippi Governor Haley
Barbour said Wednesday he will start thinking about whether
he should run for the Republican presidential nomination in
2012 after congressional elections next week.
Barbour is among several potential Republican candidates
who may seek the right to challenge Democratic President Barack
Obama in 2012, a group that includes former Massachusetts
Governor Mitt Romney, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and
former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
Barbour and Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor of
Louisiana, were in Iowa campaigning on behalf of Republican
Terry Branstad, who is seeking his fifth term as Iowa
governor.
Iowa is a standard stopping place for politicians who are
testing the waters for a potential presidential run.
Barbour told reporters he had not been considering whether
he should run yet because "this election (on Tuesday) is the
one that counts."
"After Tuesday then we'll sit down and see if there is
anything to think about," Barbour said.
Jindal has often been mentioned as a possible candidate,
but made clear he is not interested in running.
"I'll be running for re-election in Louisiana and so I'll
be busy back home next year," Jindal said. "I'm sure there'll
be many great candidates running for (president) next year and
I think that's a great thing. I'll be back home in Louisiana."
Barbour predicted a strong Republican voter turnout on
Tuesday and called the elections a referendum on Obama's
policies, which he said have created uncertainty in the
business community and made job creation difficult.
"On Tuesday, don't stand between a Republican and a polling
place because you'll get run down," Barbour said.
(Reporting by Kay Henderson, writing by Steve Holland; Editing
by Doina Chiacu)
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