Visiting Iowa Thursday to help raise money for the Republican Party of Iowa, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour reiterated his belief that disgraced South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford does not need to resign.

Barbour took over for Sanford as chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association after Sanford admitted Wednesday that his recent unexplained disappearance was the result of an extramarital affair with a woman in Argentina.

Despite recent polling that shows half of South Carolina residents think Sanford should resign, and 45 percent support impeachment, Barbour said he believes the governor should stay.

“I don’t live in South Carolina, so my opinion doesn’t matter,” he told a group of reporters. “He’s been a good governor for the state. He has served the state well. He made a mistake he’s admitted was wrong. I just don’t see it as a hanging offense.”