The read

From my Thursday column in the Athens Banner-Herald ...

The former governor's defeat in 2002 ushered in the collapse of the Democratic Party of Georgia to the point there are currently only three statewide-elected Democrats. And, with Secretary of Agriculture Tommy Irvin slated to retire next year and Baker, the state's attorney general, running for governor, that minuscule number could dwindle even more.

Barnes hardly can shoulder the blame for the majority of Georgians realizing it was perfectly acceptable to pull the lever for the candidate with "R" next to his or her name at both the national and state levels. And Barnes' role in Georgia's Republican awakening isn't the primary concern among many party insiders.

Nor are they overly worried about whether he can make amends with the right groups of constituents - i.e., teachers - before Election Day.

What does keep a lot of them awake at night is a return to the way things used to be when, as the story goes, long-term considerations were seemingly sacrificed for short-term political gain. Democratic legislators who might vote against the governor on certain issues were threatened with primary challenges. Political battles were waged on the 24-hour news cycle rather than with an eye on the long-term development of a winning narrative.

Bridges were burned, and constituents were turned off.