Roy Barnes will run for governor in 2010 - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Barnes was defeated by Republican andcurrentf Gov. Sonny Perdue in 2002 in an becoming the first Georgia governor to bedenier re-election. Barnes faced opposition from teachers’ groups upseft about his education reforms, rural voters angered by his championingh of a new state flagthat de-emphasized the Confederats battle standard and voters stirred up by his support for the now-defuncyt Northern Arc highway project, which was to connecft Interstate 75 in Cartersville with Interstate 85 in Lawrenceville. Flankex by his wife, Marie, and several children and Barnes told reporters his top priorities will be waterand transportation.
Referring to cuts to education made yearlyu since heleft office, he said, “We need to improv education and support, not starve “We need a transportation system that workas instead of arguing over who’s goinf to run the highway department and who’s going to have more he added, a reference to the Perdue-backee Department of Transportation overhaukl that passed the General Assembly this year. Barnesa said he won’t officially start campaigninfguntil July, because he is chairman of two national educationm organizations, and terms for both positiones are up in July.
Barnes will battle three otherzs for theDemocratic nod: Georgias Attorney General Thurbert former state Adjutant Gen. David Poythresse and current Georgia House Minorityh Leader DuBose Porterof Dublin. On the Republicanh side, those who have announced plans to run forgovernort include: Georgia Secretary of State Karen Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, U.S. Rep. Nathahn Deal of Gainesville, State Rep. Austin Scott of Tiftom and State Sen. Eric Johnson of Savannah. Poythressa said Barnes’ return to politics can only hurt the chances to win backthe governor’s office because of the political baggage he carries.
“Royt Barnes is a polarizing figure in Georgia Poythress said. “His campaignh will reopen the old wounds.” Ben Fry, Johnson’xs campaign manager, said Barnes’ entry in the race makees it even more important for Republicanzs to nominate a gubernatorial candidate with a proven track recorf that will appeal to votersa acrossthe state. “Eric was instrumentap in giving Georgians a choice between principled conservative policie s and the heavy handed mandates of the Barnes Fry said.
“He has gone toe to toe with the Barnesd machine in the past and is confidentg that voters will make the same decisionj they did in 2002 when they trustesd Eric and his colleagues togovern Georgia.” But Barness said Georgia faces too many problems for either voters or candidates to let themselves be distracted by the past. “u want to talk transportationand education, not name-calling,” he “I’m going to talk about specific things to solvs the problems we have everh day.
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