Miss. Governor Easily Wins 2nd Term

Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 | 3:04 a.m.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, practically the only politician to come out of Hurricane Katrina looking good, easily defeated a Democratic challenger Tuesday to win a second term.

Barbour, who had a nearly 20 percentage-point advantage over John Arthur Eaves Jr., campaigned on his successful management of the hurricane recovery, stressing job growth and rebuilding.

Katrina did in other candidates on the Gulf Coast. Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, for instance, came under such widespread criticism for her response to the hurricane that she did not seek another term.

Barbour, a Republican, was a Washington lobbyist before winning the governorship of his home state four years ago. He is widely credited with using his Capitol Hill connections to help the state collect billions of federal dollars for Katrina recovery.

Eaves made religious conviction a centerpiece of his largely self-funded campaign. He clutched a Bible in his television ads, cited Scripture frequently and criticized Barbour's connections to "moneychangers" - big oil, tobacco and insurance companies.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, practically the only politician to come out of Hurricane Katrina looking good, easily defeated a Democratic challenger Tuesday to win a second term.

Barbour campaigned on his successful management of the hurricane recovery, stressing job growth and rebuilding along the Gulf Coast. He and his Democratic opponent, trial lawyer John Arthur Eaves Jr., quoted Scripture as they exchanged barbs.