U.S. Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga) said today that the only campaign he’s planning on at this time is his 12th congressional district reelection in 2014.
Congressman Barrow, like many other Georgia politicians, was asked today if he’d consider running for Sen. Saxby Chambliss’ seat in the upper chamber. Chambliss announced earlier today that he won't run for another term in 2014.
“At this time, I have no plans to run for anything other than reelection in the 12th district,” Barrow told Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Daniel Malloy. “But I am certainly gratified that people have been suggesting I run for the Senate.”
Barrow will face a tough challenge in his district in 2014, since mid-term elections in Georgia usually draw more Republicans than Democrats to the voting booth. Barrow’s district was redrawn in 2011 and is now positively more conservative.
In 2012, Barrow won just by seven points, and his opponent had little support among moderate Republicans.
While Barack Obama’s name brought out crowds of Democrats on the Election Day, Barrow can’t count on that in 2014.
Many would conclude that running for a state-wide Senate race could be easier in Barrow’s situation.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State Office, the Peach State’s overall electoral make-up is rapidly changing to include more minorities who generally vote for Democrats.
In 2012, over half of new voters who cast their ballots for the first time were African-American and Hispanic but just 15 percent were Caucasian.
Georgia might just be a purple-going on-blue state in 2014, so Barrow has little reason to remain in a conservative district.
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