John Barrow (U.S. politician)
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- This article is about the U.S. politician John Barrow. For other uses see John Barrow.
| John Barrow | |
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| In office 2005-present |
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| Preceded by | Max Burns |
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| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| Born | October 31, 1955 Athens, Georgia |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Victoria Barrow (divorced) |
| Religion | Baptist |
John Barrow (born October 31, 1955), American politician, is currently a Democratic Congressman from Georgia's 12th District, having defeated incumbent Republican Max Burns in the 2004 election. From 1990 to 2004, he served as city-county commissioner for Athens-Clarke County.
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[edit] Education
He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1976. While a student, he was a member of the University's Demosthenian Literary Society. In 1979, he earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard University. After graduation, he entered private practice as a lawyer, working in that capacity until his election to public office.
[edit] Athens-Clarke County
John Barrow was able to win his first election from the fourth district of Athens in 1990. That same year, the voters of Athens and Clarke County voted in favor of unifying the two governments. Two years later, Barrow was able to win election to the new unified County Commission. He won re-election again in 1996 and in his final re-election in 2000, he turned away a spirited challenge from young newcomer Michael Le Houllier.
[edit] Election to Congress
The 12th had been one of the districts Georgia gained as a result of the 2000 Census. The Athens-to-Savannah district, with its 40% African-American population, had supposedly been drawn for a Democrat. Burns had won the seat in 2002 because of ethical questions surrounding the Democratic nominee, Charles "Champ" Walker, Jr. Barrow won a four-way primary and went on to defeat Burns by four percentage points.
At the same time Barrow was elected, the Republicans won control of both houses of the Georgia state legislature for the first time since Reconstruction. One of their first acts was an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting to draw districts in greater accordance to county lines and to eliminate milti-member districts created by the previous Democratic-controlled government. Barrow was one of the targets; his home in Athens, along with most of Clarke County, was drawn into the heavily Republican 10th District of Nathan Deal, a seven-term incumbent. The other portion of Clarke County was drawn into the equally Republican 9th District of six-term incumbent Charlie Norwood. Rather than risk defeat, Barrow moved to Savannah in the newly redrawn 12th so that he could live in the district that he would now be running for re-election in, even though one is not required to live in the district that one serves, which is only slightly less Democratic than its predecessor. Barrow faced former Congressman Max Burns in the November 2006 General Election and won re-election thanks to heavy turnout in Augusta and Savannah. Barrow's 2006 candidacy faced not only the mid-decade redistricting but also 2 visits by President George W. Bush to the 12th Congressional District as well as campaigning by national figures on behalf of former Representative Burns, including RNC Chair Ken Mehlman and U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.
Barrow and his wife Victoria were divorced in 2005.
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| Preceded by: Max Burns |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 12th congressional district January 3, 2005 - Present |
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