Haley Barbour

Haley Reeves Barbour (born October 22, 1947) is an American Republican politician who served as the 62nd Governor of Mississippi, from 2004 to 2012. He was given a national spotlight in August 2005 when Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. He served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1993 to 1997. Prior to holding elective office, Barbour was a lobbyist and co-founder of the Washington lobbying firm BGR Group. which he again joined after his service as governor.

Early years

Barbour was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, where he was raised as the youngest of three sons of Grace LeFlore (née Johnson) and Jeptha Fowlkes Barbour, Jr. Barbour is a descendant of Walter Leake, who was Mississippi's third governor as well as a U.S. senator. His father, a lawyer, died when Barbour was two years old. Barbour's father who was a Circuit Judge had an inmate to assist him when Judge Barbour became ill. Leon Turner, who was given a posthumous pardon by Barbour in the closing days of his administration, had helped to raise him.