Courting Republicans, Georgia Democrat Tries To Keep His Seat
For Republicans, Democrats in red states seem ripe for the picking in midterm election years, when the GOP usually has an advantage in voter turnout. One of their targets this year is Rep. John Barrow of Georgia, who faces one of the tightest races in the nation.
Barrow, often described as the "last white Democrat in Congress from the Deep South," is trying to hold onto his seat.
At First African Baptist Church in Dublin, Ga., a bronze plaque beside the front door reminds visitors that this is where a 14-year-old Martin Luther King Jr. gave his first public speech.
Pastor Keith Anderson stands behind the pulpit and welcomes Barrow to the service, while making a dig at Washington gridlock.
"I'm glad, Congressman Barrow, that I don't have to sit in the Senate or in the Congress and the only way my business gets done is if I get the majority to support [it]," Anderson says.
Even if Congress seems ineffective, Anderson assures his congregation, there is power in prayer to get things done.
Barrow tells the audience of about 60 people that even in Washington, he gets things done; he ticks off efforts to bring jobs to Georgia by promoting nuclear energy and expanding the Port of Savannah.
Barrow is comfortable here, among traditionally Democratic African-American voters. He describes himself as a Democrat in the tradition of his father, a judge known for helping to keep public schools open after desegregation. Barrow needs African-Americans to turn out on Election Day — they make up more than a third of his district. But they're not enough to put him over the top.
University of Georgia political scientist Chuck Bullock says that's why Barrow spends a lot of time trying to convince white Republicans in his district that he represents them.
"They see John Barrow and they go, 'Oh, wait a minute, yeah I'm a Republican but this guy Barrow, yeah he's pretty good,' " Bullock says. " 'He's been to our festival, I've met him. He came to our high school graduation. I'm going to make an exception.' "
At the Huddle House diner in tiny East Dublin, Barrow stops for a bite to eat in between church services. He chats with Jack and Dianne Conley, a white couple in their 60s. They say they normally vote Republican, but they tell Barrow — who's endorsed by the NRA — that they like his conservative positions on issues like gun rights.
"Thank you," Barrow says. "I take my Constitution neat; I don't water it down."
Barrow isn't just running against his Republican challenger, Rick Allen. In this conservative district, he has to distance himself from the national Democratic Party and the president. In this TV ad, he refers to an old political joke that says if you want a friend in Washington, D.C., you should get a dog.
"Well, I wouldn't wish Washington on a dog," Barrow says, tossing a ball to a yellow lab.
Along with his homespun language and folksy demeanor, Barrow repeatedly portrays himself as an independent voice who has opposed President Obama on issues including health reform. Another ad touts his voting record, saying he has sided with House Republicans more than half the time.
But Barrow is up against a well-funded Republican effort to replace him with one of their own. The conservative American Future Fund, an outside group backed by the Koch brothers, has put nearly $1 million behind Barrow's Republican challenger. In ads and on the stump, Allen tries to paint Barrow as "two-faced" and a rubber stamp for Obama administration policies.
But Democrats are hitting back with big money of their own — including more than $130,000 on a new ad this week. They're trying to keep Barrow in place, and dash Republican hopes that this will be the year Georgia's 12th Congressional district turns from blue to red.
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Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Republicans are trying to increase their edge in the House of Representatives. They're targeting Georgia Congressman John Barrow. He's been described as the last white Democrat in Congress from the Deep South. Here's Georgia Public Broadcasting's Sarah McCammon.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing) You know that Jordan River...
SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: At First African Baptist Church in Dublin, Georgia, a bronze plaque beside the front door says this is where a teenage Martin Luther King Jr. gave his first public speech.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing) Oh, yes. I'm bound to cross.
MCCAMMON: Standing behind the pulpit, Pastor Keith Anderson welcomes Congressman John Barrow to the service.
PASTOR KEITH ANDERSON: I'm glad, I'm glad, I'm glad Congressman Barrow that I don't have to sit in the Senate or in the Congress and the only way my business is getting done if I get the majority to support.
MCCAMMON: Barrow is comfortable here among these traditionally Democratic African-American voters. He describes himself as a Democrat in the tradition of his father, a judge known for helping keep public schools open after desegregation. Barrow also needs African-Americans to turn out on election day. They're a third of his district. But they're not enough to put him over the top.
University of Georgia political scientist Chuck Bullock says that's why Barrow spends a lot of time trying to get white Republicans, the majority of his district, to think like this.
CHUCK BULLOCK: Yeah, I'm a Republican. But this guy Barrow - yeah, he's pretty good. He's been to our festival. I've met him. He came to our high school graduation. I'm going to make an exception.
MCCAMMON: Between church services, Barrow stops for a bite to eat in the tiny town of East Dublin.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BARROW: Oh, I'll get the two-egg breakfast - scrambled, hash browns and whole wheat toast.
MCCAMMON: He chats with Jack and Diane Conley, a white couple in their 60s. They say they normally vote Republican, but they like Barrow, who's endorsed by the NRA, and how he talks about issues like gun rights.
BARROW: Thank you. Thank you. I take my constitution neat. I don't water it down.
MCCAMMON: Diane Conley says that's good enough for her.
DIANE CONLEY: I didn't vote for him last time, but I plan to this time 'cause I like - you know, the more I hear, the more I like.
MCCAMMON: Barrow isn't just running against his Republican challenger Rick Allen. In this conservative district, he has to distance himself from the National Democratic Party and the president. In this TV ad, he tosses a ball to a yellow lab and refers to an old political joke.
(SOUNDBITE OF ADVERTISEMNT)
BARROW: I'm John Barrow. Somebody once said if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. Well, I wouldn't wish Washington on a dog.
MCCAMMON: Barrow repeatedly portrays himself as an independent voice who's opposed the Obama Administration on issues including health reform.
(SOUNDBITE OF ADVERTISEMENT)
BARROW: In fact, I voted 54 percent of the time with Speaker Boehner.
MCCAMMON: But Barrow is up against a well-funded Republican effort to replace him with one of their own. The conservative American Future Fund, an outside group backed by the Koch brothers, has put nearly a million dollars behind Barrow's Republican challenger. Rick Allen is trying to paint Barrow as two-faced.
(SOUNDBITE OF ADVERTISEMENT)
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Barrow's lying to hide his record. In Georgia, he claims he's independent. But Barrow staunchly supported Obama, voting...
MCCAMMON: The Democrats are hitting back with big money of their own, including more than $130,000 on a new ad this week to try to keep Barrow in place and dash Republican hopes that this will be the year they finally turn Georgia's 12th congressional district from blue to red. For NPR News, I'm Sarah McCammon in Savannah, Georgia. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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