Roy Eugene Barnes (born March 11, 1948) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 80th governor of Georgia from 1999 to 2003. It is widely believed that his support of the flag change significantly contributed to his re-election defeat in 2002.

After his defeat, he resumed the practice of law and co-chaired the Aspen Institute Commission on No Child Left Behind Act. He returned to politics when he ran for governor again in 2010, losing to Republican Nathan Deal. A decade later, he declined the invitation to act as special counsel in the Georgia election racketeering and fraud case involving former president Donald Trump, and stated, "I told DA Willis that I lived with bodyguards for four years and I didn’t like it, and I wasn’t going to live with bodyguards for the rest of my life."

Early life, education, and family

Roy Barnes was born on March 11, 1948, in Mableton, Georgia. His family owned a general store, which gave him his first exposure to politics as he listened to the conversations of the store patrons.

Upon his graduation from South Cobb High School, Barnes enrolled at the University of Georgia. Barnes went on to serve eight terms in the Georgia Senate. Barnes was defeated by Miller,

Governor of Georgia

1998 gubernatorial election

In 1998, Barnes ran for governor again, this time defeating Secretary of State Lewis A. Massey to win the Democratic primary. Running on the themes of education reform and health care reform,

The Democrats retained control of both houses of the legislature and retained all but two state level offices (Republicans were elected Insurance Commissioner and School Superintendent). The state flag had featured the Confederate battle emblem since 1956. and ending social promotion by requiring students to pass a test before advancing to the next grade. Teachers did not support his proposals for ending tenure and other protections for new teachers, Barnes signed the Terrell Peterson Act to protect children at risk of death due to abuse, also as a result of Peterson's death. Although some commentators have pointed to the ire of voters opposing the flag change The Barnes Law Group continues Barnes' private law practice

Georgia Supreme Court rulings as attorney

The Georgia Supreme Court, on June 11, 2007, unanimously dismissed a legal challenge to the state's voter ID law. Barnes argued before the court that the voter identification law was unconstitutional because Plaintiff Rosalind Lake - a first-time voter after having moved to Georgia - did not have a driver's license, and was therefore excluded in a discriminatory manner.

Aspen Institute Commission on No Child Left Behind

On February 14, 2006, the Aspen Institute announced the forming of the Commission on No Child Left Behind. Barnes, along with former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, was named co-chair of the commission.

According to its mission, the commission "is a bipartisan effort to identify and build support for improvements in federal education policy to spur academic achievement and close persistent achievement gaps."

2010 gubernatorial election

Barnes announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Georgia in the 2010 election on June 3, 2009 in his hometown of Marietta, Georgia.

Barnes won the 2010 Democratic Primary on July 20, 2010, and faced off against Republican Nathan Deal and Libertarian John Monds.

On November 2, 2010, Barnes conceded to Deal as the Republican rode a wave of GOP backing in the 2010 midterm elections.

Electoral history

See also

References

  • official campaign site
  • Barnes Law Group
  • Roy Barnes at the New Georgia Encyclopedia
  • Lawmakers Flashbacks at Georgia Public Broadcasting
  • Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library
  • Commission on No Child Left Behind at the Aspen Institute

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