Opponents will no doubt bring up his work on behalf of tobacco companies and ask, as others have, whether it impelled him to kill a statewide anti-smoking programme in 2006 and to twice veto a bill that would have replaced the state's grocery tax with a higher tax on tobacco.

ECONOMIST: Haley Barbour's ambitions

For example, we know that both smoking and obesity are unhealthy, too much of either does tend to kill.

FORBES: Smoking Reduces Obesity