How safe is Barrow's job? Prospective new congressional district boundaries open door to African-American candidate.

Excerpts from a 4-24-05 Savannah Morning News article by Larry Peterson:

[The new 12th Congressional District] looks tailor-made for an African-American challenger to Barrow.

Barrow says he'll move if he must to remain a resident of the 12th.

[T]he voting age population of the new 12th would be more black than the old one - 41.5 percent compared to 39 percent.

Meanwhile, black voters make up an increasing share of the Georgia Democratic electorate. Charles Bullock, a University of Georgia professor of political science, estimates that 60 percent to 65 percent of the people who would vote in the new 12th's Democratic primary would be black.

"Barrow would be very vulnerable," Bullock said.

Bullock and Dave Simons, a Savannah political consultant who works mostly with Republicans, view Majette as an especially formidable challenger to Barrow.

Majette, whose recent roots are in the Atlanta area, is an outsider to the 12th. But Barrow would find it hard to tar her as one, because - in the new district - he'd be one, too, Simons and Bullock say.

Moreover, they add, she'd gain from the statewide name recognition she earned during her U.S. Senate campaign.

Barrow will run with the full support of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her leadership team . . . .

Simons doubts that national Republicans will go all-out in the 12th.

"There are probably at least a couple Congressional districts here in Georgia that likely will be higher priorities," he said. "I'd be hard-pressed to think that a Republican has anything but an outside chance in the 12th."