12th Congressional District up for grabs - Augusta's hotly contested Democratic primary for sheriff should really help Anderson.

Larry Peterson writes in The Savannah Morning News:

John Barrow’s been in Republican crosshairs since 2004, when he upset a GOP incumbent in the 12th Congressional District.

The Republican-led state legislature has twice undermined Democrat Barrow’s political base by redrawing the 12th’s boundaries.

After it excised his hometown of Athens, he barely survived in 2006 after moving to Savannah.

Now Savannah’s gone, and Barrow, who’s moved to Augusta, faces an uphill battle on Democrat-unfriendly turf.

The July 31 primary has drawn four Republican candidates.

State Rep. Lee Anderson of Grovetown, Augusta businessman Rick Allen, Dublin lawyer Maria Sheffield and Augusta lawyer Wright McLeod differ little on the issues.

One much-asked question is how many GOP voters in Augusta will cast ballots in a hotly contested local Democratic primary for sheriff.

Augusta is McLeod and Allen’s hometown, and some analysts say a big cross-over vote will help Sheffield, Anderson or both.