Haley Barbour Laments 'Purity' in Push for Establishment Candidates

Haley Barbour Laments 'Purity' in Push for Establishment Candidates

On Monday, former Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS), the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, said that what’s wrong with the country is “terrible policies that have results that are equally terrible.” Seemingly, his zeal for passing immigration reform doesn’t fall under this category.

In an interview following his appearance at the New York Meeting, where he again pushed for Congress to act on amnesty legislation, Barbour instead lamented that in Republican elections, “purity is the enemy of victory.”

“If you expect or demand perfection out of every candidate, every piece of legislation, then you’re not going to win,” Barbour said.

Presumably, Barbour was referencing his support for incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), who is in a race for his state’s Republican nomination to the senate seat he current holds. However, grassroots enthusiasm for his opponent, state senator Chris McDaniel, shows a 12-point lead over Cochran in the latest poll.

Follow Dan Fleuette on Twitter @invaderace

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