Jackson Free Press

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is smoking the polls. Well, one poll anyway. The Raleigh, N.C.-based firm Public Policy Polling, which Democratic pollster Dean Debnam founded, unveiled its findings Friday, Dec. 9. The poll shows Barbour's approval rating inside the state is 60 percent, the highest of any state governor; only 29 percent of Mississippians polled disapprove of Barbour.

Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Arnie Hederman attributed Barbour's superlative status to the governor's "conservative Republican policies like opposing tax increases and fostering job creation."

Whether Barbour made Mississippi a more welcoming place to create jobs remains is debatable, though. In CNBC's Top States for Business survey for 2011, published Oct. 31, Mississippi placed 47th, good enough for next to last placement.

Rounding out the top-five with Barbour on the poll are Mike Beebe, D-Ark.; Bobby Jindal, R-La.; Dave Heineman, R-Neb; and Steve Beshear, D-Ky.

As for Mississippi's U.S. senators, Roger Wicker and Thad Cochran enjoyed positive-negative approval ratings of 56-23 and 57-22, respectively.

Mississippians disapprove of President Barack Obama 36-59 percent.