John Barrow (Georgia)
John Barrow (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing Georgia's 12th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2005. He left office on January 3, 2015.
Barrow ran for election for judge of the Georgia Supreme Court. He lost in the general election on May 21, 2024.
Barrow completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
John Barrow was born in Athens, Georgia. He earned a degree in political science and history from the University of Georgia in 1976 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1979. Barrow's career experience includes working as an attorney.[1][2]
Elections
2024
See also: Georgia Supreme Court elections, 2024
General election
General election for Georgia Supreme Court
Incumbent Andrew Pinson defeated John Barrow in the general election for Georgia Supreme Court on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Andrew Pinson (Nonpartisan) | 54.9 | 619,485 |
 | John Barrow (Nonpartisan)  | 45.1 | 508,397 | |
| Total votes: 1,127,882 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Barrow in this election.
2020
- See also: Georgia Supreme Court elections, 2020
Barrow declared his candidacy for Justice Robert Benham's seat on the Georgia Supreme Court. The seat was expected to be on the ballot on May 19, 2020. Benham retired on March 1, 2020. His retirement allowed Gov. Kemp to appoint a successor. That successor did not need to run for election until 2022.[3]
2018
General runoff election
General runoff election for Georgia Secretary of State
Brad Raffensperger defeated John Barrow in the general runoff election for Georgia Secretary of State on December 4, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Brad Raffensperger (R) | 51.9 | 764,855 |
| John Barrow (D) | 48.1 | 709,049 | |
| Total votes: 1,473,904 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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General election
General election for Georgia Secretary of State
Brad Raffensperger and John Barrow advanced to a runoff. They defeated Smythe DuVal in the general election for Georgia Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brad Raffensperger (R) | 49.1 | 1,906,588 |
| ✔ | | John Barrow (D) | 48.7 | 1,890,310 |
 | Smythe DuVal (L) | 2.2 | 86,696 | |
| Total votes: 3,883,594 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary runoff election
Republican primary runoff for Georgia Secretary of State
Brad Raffensperger defeated David Belle Isle in the Republican primary runoff for Georgia Secretary of State on July 24, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brad Raffensperger | 61.8 | 329,708 |
 | David Belle Isle | 38.2 | 204,194 | |
| Total votes: 533,902 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Georgia Secretary of State
John Barrow defeated Dee Dawkins-Haigler and R.J. Hadley in the Democratic primary for Georgia Secretary of State on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Barrow | 51.5 | 264,864 |
 | Dee Dawkins-Haigler | 29.5 | 151,963 | |
 | R.J. Hadley | 19.0 | 97,682 | |
| Total votes: 514,509 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Georgia Secretary of State
Brad Raffensperger and David Belle Isle advanced to a runoff. They defeated Joshua McKoon and Buzz Brockway in the Republican primary for Georgia Secretary of State on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brad Raffensperger | 35.0 | 185,386 |
| ✔ | | David Belle Isle | 28.5 | 151,328 |
 | Joshua McKoon | 21.1 | 112,113 | |
 | Buzz Brockway | 15.4 | 81,492 | |
| Total votes: 530,319 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ken Brown (R)
2014
Barrow ran for re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on May 20, 2014.[4] He was defeated by challenger Rick Allen (R) in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Barrow Incumbent | 45.25% | 75,377 | |
| Republican |  Rick Allen |
54.75% | 91,336 | |
| Total Votes | 166,713 | |||
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State | ||||
The National Republican Congressional Committee listed Barrow's seat as one of seven early targets in the 2014 congressional elections.[5] The seven targets matched the seven most Republican districts held by Democrats, according to FairVote's partisanship index. Barrow's district ranked as the 4th most Republican (41% D).[6]
Barrow was considered a potential Democratic candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2014, but ultimately decided against entering the race.[7]
Barrow was a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program. The program was designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents during the 2014 election cycle.[8]
2012
Barrow ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Georgia's 12th District. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. He defeated Lee Anderson (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[9] Barrow was considered one the vulnerable incumbents.[10]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Barrow Incumbent |
53.7% | 139,148 | |
| Republican | Lee Anderson | 46.3% | 119,973 | |
| Total Votes | 259,121 | |||
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
Full history
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2010 On November 2, 2010, John Barrow won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Raymond McKinney (R) in the general election.[11]
2008 On November 4, 2008, John Barrow won re-election to the United States House. He defeated John Stone (R) in the general election.[12]
2006 On November 7, 2006, John Barrow won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Max Burns (R) in the general election.[13]
2004 On November 2, 2004, John Barrow won election to the United States House. He defeated Max Burns (R) in the general election.[14]
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Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Barrow completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Barrow's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I am a veteran courtroom lawyer who spent 25 years representing families in cases in courtrooms all over the state. Running against a lawyer who never tried a case to a jury in his life. I'm a former elected official, having been elected to local office as a county commissioner for 14 years before being elected to Congress for 10 years. Running against a lawyer who has never served in elected office before. And after all that I served a term as a volunteer staff attorney for the Atlanta legal Aid Society — because that's why I became a lawyer in the first place: To help folks who need a lawyer but couldn't afford to hire one.
- I believe that Georgians have the same rights under the Georgia Constitution that we used to have under Roe v. Wade. And it’s clear from my opponent’s record that he believes that we do not. That’s the central issue in this election.
- Experience representing real people, with real problems, in the real world, is an important qualification for the highest judicial office in the state. I have a quarter century of experience as a partner in a small law firm in a small town, litigating against some of the best lawyers across the state. My opponent has had 2 years experience as an associate in a Wall Street law firm. My experience has given me a breadth of experience in dealing with the problems of lawyers and their clients that my opponent lacks.
- I believe that experience in elected office can be extremely valuable to the Supreme Court. I served for 24 years as an elected official – first as a county commissioner and then in Congress. That experience has given me an understanding of the challenges people face in virtually every walk of life. Very few members of the Supreme Court have any such experience, and my opponent has none.
Civil rights and political rights.
I look up to my Father. When he was very new on the job as the sole elected Superior Court Judge for our circuit, he was the only local official who offered to help the FBI in its investigation of the Klan for the murder of Lemuel Penn. Later, he was the judge who presided over the case that desegregated our public schools, in a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court (which reversed the Georgia Supreme Court — and affirmed my Dad). My twin sister and I were in the first class to go all the way through the fully integrated high school for the county. My Father was the closest thing to Atticus Finch within a 100-mile radius of Athens.
The ability to work with people on all sides of the political divides in our society. The divides are real, but so are the opportunities to overcome them. I learned this from my Dad, and I had the opportunity to practice that in local office. And later, when I served in the most partisan legislature in the country, I was proud to have been recognized as the most bi-partisan member of Congress.
I would like to leave a new appreciation for the rights that we enjoy under our state Constitution. State constitutions were conceived as the primary bulwark of individual liberty at the time of the founding of the Republic. And yet they let us down spectacularly — giving rise to the Civil War, and the need to amend the U.S. Constitution to protect rights that state constitutions did not. Now, with the U.S. Supreme Court withdrawing from many fights over our rights — and taking the U.S. Constitution with them — we must look once again to our state constitutions to protect rights that the U.S. Constitution does not protect. Or no longer protects.
I remember when President Kennedy was elected. I was only 5, but my parents were the co-chairs of the Kennedy-Johnson campaign in my home county — Clarke County — in 1960. My parents were ardent New Frontier Democrats, and they adored JFK. So naturally, we kids did, too.
There was an additional factor: We kids were raised in the local Baptist church, but we also went to the only Catholic school in the region. (It happened that St. Joseph's School was the only integrated school in our county at the time.) While we were too young to fully understand the anti-Catholicism that was such a factor in that election, we did know that JFK's religion — the religion of our fiends we went to school with — was something of a challenge that "we" had been able to overcome. So we had an extra measure of pride in his election — kind of like wining a national football championship. So it hit us especially hard when our President — OUR President — was assassinated.
Too many judges appointed by partisan politicians cannot help but reflect, in their judicial philosophy, the partisan political philosophy of their patrons. The best remedy for this is to elect more of our judges in non-partisan elections, like this one. We have too many appellate judges who are appointed by partisan politicians and not enough who are elected by the people in non-partisan elections. This election is an opportunity to do something about the problem.
The Georgia Supreme Court is the only court that can hold the other branches of government — the executive and the legislative — accountable when they violate the rights of the people. In the final analysis, the Georgia Supreme Court is the ONLY check on the power that BOTH of the other branches of government exercise — when they get together and enact legislation that violates the rights of the people.
Planned Parenthood SE.
Georgia Equality.
Fair Fight.
Georgia AFL-CIO.
UFCW.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Barrow’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Why are you running for the Georgia Supreme Court? I’m running because we need Justices on the Georgia Supreme Court who will protect the right of women and their families to make the most personal family and health care decisions they’ll ever make. Despite many fine qualities, it’s obvious from his record that the incumbent, Justice Pinson, cannot be counted on to do that. In siding with Mississippi and Alabama in the case that overturned Roe v. Wade, Pinson clearly did not represent the interests of the women and families in Georgia who are just beginning to feel the impact of that decision. We can’t expect Pinson to fight for our interests now that he’s been appointed to the only court that can stop what he helped start. That’s not all. Politicians use gerrymandering and unfair redistricting to keep themselves in power. Only the Georgia Supreme Court can protect us from that. And other rules – judge-made rules – make it harder to hold government officials accountable when they break the law. Only the Georgia Supreme Court can fix that. With the federal courts withdrawing from so many of these fights – and taking the U.S. Constitution with them – the only protections Georgians have left are in our state Constitution. And the Georgia Supreme Court has the last word on what it means. That’s why we need Justices on the Georgia Supreme Court who will enforce our state Constitution – our Georgia Constitution – against those who encroach on the rights of the people. What would you say to the Georgia legal community about why you are the best choice? I’ve had the privilege of litigating with and against some of the finest lawyers in the state, and in all walks of the profession. I’ve shared all the challenges and frustrations of a small town, small firm practice, while litigating against the biggest and best law firms in the state. Lawyers from all different walks of the profession need someone with that kind of experience on the Court. What would you say to non-lawyers about Supreme Court elections and why they should vote for you? Folks want to know that they’ll get the same shake as the bigshots represented by elite lawyers in elite law firms. They know they can’t get that from lawyers who’ve never represented real people, with real problems in the real world. As a practicing lawyer, local elected official, member of Congress, and volunteer public attorney, I’ve represented more Georgians, in more different ways, than anybody else on the Court. And I believe most folks want that kind of experience on our Supreme Court. What would you say your career to this point has done to prepare you to be a Supreme Court Justice? My career has prepared me for service on the Court in lots of ways. As a lawyer in a small firm in a small town, I’ve seen how the law affects real people in the real world. As a 14-year veteran of local government, I’ve seen all the ways that local government – the government that’s closest to the people – can contribute to a sense of community. And I’ve also seen how both federal and state laws can make that job harder. As a 10-year veteran of Congress, I’ve seen how big government and bureaucracy can run over people. I’ve listened to Georgians all over the state and come face to face with the reality of their everyday lives. As a teacher, I’ve renewed my faith in the ability of the younger generation to tackle the problems that are not being addressed by today’s leaders. And as a volunteer legal services lawyer, I’ve seen first-hand how the law can be used by the unscrupulous to prey on the less fortunate. All of these experiences can only help the Supreme Court do its job. Is there anything about your time in Congress that you would point to as an example of what you would bring to the Georgia Supreme Court? Absolutely! Judges have a much more limited job than legislators. Judges decide what the law is, not what it ought to be. Legislators, on the other hand, have a more expansive role. Their job is to decide what the law ought to be. If you want to know how someone will approach the role of deciding what the law is, you can’t get a better insight than in how they approach the broader questions of what the law ought to be. If they’re careful and thoughtful in that much more expansive role, you can be sure that they’ll be careful and thoughtful in the much more limited role of judge. In my time in Congress, I had to cast a thousand votes a year on anybody and everybody’s idea of what the law ought to be, and under the most challenging and trying circumstances. And in that role, I earned a reputation as a thoughtful and careful lawyer, and as the most bi-partisan member of the most partisan legislature around. I worked with people on both sides of the political divide, and on all sides of the issues. That approach is needed in every school board, every county commission, and in every legislature. And it’s needed on the Georgia Supreme Court. Are there life experiences outside of the law that influence your view of the law or the courts? There sure are! I learned how the law affects people long before I went to law school. My Dad was the closest thing to Atticus Finch within a hundred-mile radius of Athens. The way he represented everyone with dignity and respect, no matter their color or social standing, made a deep impression on me as a boy. Dad was in local office during the Civil Rights era, and he enforced the constitutional rights of all – not the unconstitutional state laws that violated those rights. Later, my Dad was the judge who presided over the case that desegregated our public schools – in a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. And I was in the first class to go all the way through. So, yes, I got a pretty good education about the law and the courts – long before I ever went to law school. And my Mom was a leader! A member of the Georgia Women’s Hall of Fame, Mom was a beloved University of Georgia professor – and a courageous and outspoken advocate for women and the marginalized. People that the law did not always protect. And I’m lucky to be surrounded by strong women today – my wife, my sisters, my daughters – and now my granddaughters![15] |
” |
| —John Barrow’s campaign website (2024)[16] | ||
2018
Campaign website
The following is a press release about Barrow's announcement of his candidacy for secretary of state.
| “ |
John Barrow announced today that he is running to be Georgia Secretary of State. “I’m a seventh generation Georgian whose family helped build this state by farming, teaching, preaching, and practicing law all across Georgia, and I cannot stand on the sidelines when we face such huge challenges. People are working harder and harder and still finding it hard to make ends meet. We need more good paying jobs, better schools, and access to quality health care for all Georgians. We need to encourage companies to move to Georgia instead of watching Georgia jobs go overseas. And above all we need to protect the right to vote in Georgia.” “Today, we have too many people in Atlanta who act like they do in Washington — who put partisan politics ahead of what’s in the best interest of Georgia. As a county commissioner and a member of Congress, I’ve always put Georgia first, and that’s what I’ll do as our Secretary of State.’ “In addition to protecting the right to vote, the Secretary of State should be making it easier to do business and create jobs in Georgia, protecting retirement accounts from abuses on Wall Street, and preventing professional fraud. None of this has anything to do with partisan politics, and I won’t allow it if I’m elected.” John Barrow is a former Athens-Clarke County commissioner and a former U.S. congressman representing eastern and southeastern Georgia. A Democrat, John is known for his bipartisan record bringing jobs to Georgia, holding down taxes, and supporting access to quality health care for all Georgians. The responsibilities of the Georgia Secretary of State include the administration of secure, accessible, and fair elections; registration of corporations; regulation of charities and securities; and oversight of professional license holders. The election for the 28th Georgia Secretary of State will be held November 6, 2018.[15] |
” |
| —John Barrow's 2018 campaign website[17] | ||
Campaign advertisements
The following is an example of an ad from Barrow's 2018 election campaign.
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Committee assignments
U.S. House
2013-2014
Barrow served on the following committees:[18][19]
- Energy and Commerce Committee
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade
- Subcommittee on Energy and Power
- Subcommittee on Environment and Economy
- Subcommittee on Health
2011-2012
Barrow served on the following committees:[20]
- Energy and Commerce Committee
- Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy
- Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
- Veterans' Affairs Committee[20]
- Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
Key votes
113th Congress
The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.[21] For more information pertaining to Barrow's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.[22]
National security
DHS Appropriations
Barrow voted in favor of HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.[23]
Keystone Pipeline Amendment
Barrow voted against House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines.[23]
CISPA (2013)
Barrow voted in favor of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities.[24] The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.[23]
NDAA
Barrow voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.[23]
Economy
Farm bill
On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill.[25] The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop.[26][27] However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.[27] Barrow voted with 88 other Democratic representatives in favor of the bill.
2014 Budget
On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014.[28][29] The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill.[29] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.[30] It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the protection of the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Barrow joined with the majority of the Democratic party and voted in favor of the bill.[28][29]
Government shutdown
- See also: United States budget debate, 2013
On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.[31] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.[32] Barrow voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[33]
The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[34] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Barrow voted for HR 2775.[35]
Pay during government shutdown
- See also: United States budget debate, 2013
Barrow declined to accept his salary while the government was shutdown.[36]
2013 Farm Bill
- See also: United States Farm Bill 2013
The comprehensive farm bill failed in the House due largely in part to the votes of 8 Democratic House members who joined the Republican majority to vote down the measure.[37] Reps. Peterson, Barrow, Sanford Bishop, Cheri Bustos, Sean Maloney, Mike McIntyre, Bill Owens, and Tim Walz were the 8 Democratic members who voted to reject the bill.[37] According to analysis by OpenSecrets.org, many of these Democratic members have received significant political contributions from agricultural organizations that benefit from crop insurance subsidies.[37]
Immigration
Morton Memos Prohibition
Barrow voted in favor of House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224-201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines.[23]
King Amendment
In June 2013, the House approved an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security spending bill that would end the department's discretion policies by cutting off funding for the proposed DREAM Act, which would have temporarily halted the deportations of young immigrants if they had served in the military or were attending college. This vote overturned an executive order signed by President Obama that formalized a process for the "Dreamers" to remain in the U.S.[38][29][39]
The amendment, offered by Rep. Steve King (R) of Iowa, passed the House by a vote of 224-201 and was approved mostly along party lines. However, three Democrats supported the amendment and six Republicans opposed it, while nine members did not vote.[39]Barrow was one of the three Democratic members who voted in favor of the amendment.[29]
The amendment would effectively demand the government force out "Dreamers" who came to the U.S. as children.[39] It contrasted with comprehensive immigration reform efforts, including proposed DREAM Act style legislation, and would resume the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children.[40] The amendment was the first immigration-related vote in either chamber of Congress in 2013, and it blocked many of the provisions that were mirrored in the Senate’s Gang of Eight bill.[41][39]
Healthcare
Healthcare Reform Rules
Barrow voted in favor of House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.[23]
Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act
Barrow voted in favor of HR 2009 - Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act of 2013. The bill passed through the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 232-185. The bill would prevent the IRS and Treasury Secretary from enforcing the powers provided to them in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The vote largely followed party lines.[23]
Social issues
Amash amendment
Barrow voted against House Amendment 413 - Prohibits the National Security Agency from Collecting Records Under the Patriot Act. The amendment failed on July 4, 2013, by a vote of 205-217. The amendment would have prohibited the collection of records by the National Security Agency under the Patriot Act. Both parties were split on the vote.[23]
Previous congressional sessions
Fiscal Cliff
Barrow voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 16 Democrats who voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.[42]
Frequency of Voting with Democratic Leadership
According to a July 2010 analysis of 1,357 votes cast from January 1, 2009 to June 16, 2010, Barrow has voted with the House Democratic leadership 93.5% of the time.[43] That same analysis reported that he also voted with party leadership 95.5% of the time in 2010.
Washington Post Analysis
A separate analysis from The Washington Post, concludes that Barrow was a reliable Democratic vote, voting 94.0% of the time with the majority of other Democrats in the House of Representatives.[44]
Specific Votes
Barrow supported the auto bailout.[45] As of September 13, 2010: 56 percent of Americans disapproved of the auto bailout, while 43 percent supported it.[46]
In addition, Barrow voted for the stimulus bill.[47] A total of 57 percent of U.S. voters believed that the stimulus had hurt the economy (36 percent) or had no impact (21 percent). Only 38 percent believed the stimulus helped the economy.[48]
Barrow also voted in favor of the "Cash for Clunkers" bill.[49] According to a June 2009 Rasmussen Reports poll, 54 percent of likely U.S. voters opposed Cash for Clunkers, while 35 percent supported it.[50]
Issues
National security
American response in Syria
- See also: United States involvement in Syria
Barrow said on September 3, 2013, "Any proposal should outline what we hope to achieve, and how we expect to achieve it, but we should not authorize anything that could draw us into another land war. It's important for Congress to debate the issue and vote on it, and the sooner the better. In fact, Congress should immediately return to Washington to get this debate underway."[51]
Personal Gain Index
- See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)
- See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)
The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:
PGI: Change in net worth
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Barrow's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $1,501,004 and $6,016,000. That averages to $3,758,502, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Barrow ranked as the 95th most wealthy representative in 2012.[52] Between 2004 and 2012, Barrow's calculated net worth[53] decreased by an average of 5 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.[54]
| John Barrow Yearly Net Worth | |
|---|---|
| Year | Average Net Worth |
| 2004 | $6,170,135 |
| 2012 | $3,758,502 |
| Growth from 2004 to 2012: | −39% |
| Average annual growth: | −5%[55] |
| Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.[56] | |
The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.
PGI: Donation Concentration Metric
Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Barrow received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.
From 2003-2014, 33.69 percent of Barrow's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.[57]
| John Barrow (Georgia) Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $13,838,859 |
| Total Spent | $11,934,451 |
| Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $2,444,783 |
| Health Professionals | $697,575 |
| Leadership PACs | $658,068 |
| Candidate Committees | $432,300 |
| Real Estate | $428,905 |
| % total in top industry | 17.67% |
| % total in top two industries | 22.71% |
| % total in top five industries | 33.69% |
Analysis
Ideology and leadership
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Barrow was a "centrist Democrat," as of July 29, 2014. This was the same rating Barrow received in June 2013.[58]
Like-minded colleagues
The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.[59]
|
Barrow most often voted with: |
Barrow least often voted with: |
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Barrow missed 86 of 7,448 roll call votes from January 2005 to July 2014. This amounts to 1.2 percent, which is better than the median of 2.5 percent among current congressional representatives as of July 2014.[60]
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Barrow paid his congressional staff a total of $919,591 in 2011. He ranked 33rd on the list of the lowest paid Democratic representative staff salaries and ranked 164th overall of the lowest paid representative staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Georgia ranked 24th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.[61]
Staff bonuses
According to an analysis by CNN, Barrow was one of nearly 25 percent of House members who gave their staff bonuses in 2012. Barrow's staff was given an apparent $29,094.44 in bonus money.[62]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year.
2013
Barrow ranked 201st in the liberal rankings in 2013.[63]
2012
Barrow ranked 187th in the liberal rankings in 2012.[64]
2011
Barrow ranked 183rd in the liberal rankings in 2011.[65]
Voting with party
The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.
2014
Barrow voted with the Democratic Party 67.1 percent of the time, which ranked 197th among the 204 House Democratic members as of July 2014.[66]
2013
John Barrow voted with the Democratic Party 80.1 percent of the time, which ranked 197th among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.[67]
Personal
Barrow is the father of two children, James and Ruth, and lives in Savannah.[1]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Congressman John Barrow Representing Georgia's 12th Congressional District, "John Barrow," accessed October 27, 2011
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 23, 2024
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Justice Benham to retire in March, upending GA Supreme Court race," December 5, 2019
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedprim - ↑ The Hill, "NRCC, promising to 'stay on offense,' targets seven Dems," accessed January 16, 2013
- ↑ FairVote, "NRCC Targets Foreshadow Power of Partisanship in 2014 Elections," accessed January 18, 2013
- ↑ Public Policy Polling, "Georgia Miscellany," accessed December 7, 2012
- ↑ Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, "DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Announces 2013-2014 Frontline Members," accessed March 5, 2013
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Results," accessed 2012
- ↑ New York Times, "House Race Ratings," accessed October 3, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ John Barrow’s campaign website, “A Conversation With John,” accessed April 24, 2024
- ↑ John Barrow's 2018 campaign website, "Press Release: John Barrow Running for Georgia Secretary of State," September 25, 2017
- ↑ CQ.com, "House Committee Rosters for the 113th Congress," accessed March 3, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House of Representatives, "Committee Assignments," accessed March 29, 2014
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Congressman John Barrow Representing Georgia's 12th Congressional District, "John's Committees and Subcommittees Assignments," accessed October 27, 2011
- ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 112th Congress," accessed September 5, 2013
- ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 113th Congress," accessed March 4, 2014
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 23.7 Project Vote Smart, "John Barrow Key Votes," accessed September 30, 2013
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Bill Summary & Status - 113th Congress (2013 - 2014) - H.R.624," accessed August 27, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 31: H.R. 2642," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "House clears farm bill," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 NY Times, "Senate Passes Long-Stalled Farm Bill, With Clear Winners and Losers," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 CNN.com, "House passes compromise $1.1 trillion budget for 2014," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 21," accessed January 20, 2014 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "vote" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Roll Call, "Omnibus Sails Through the Senate," January 16, 2014
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ Buzzfeed, "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post, "Which lawmakers will refuse their pay during the shutdown?" accessed October 2, 2013
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 Open Secrets, "Agribusiness and the Farm Bill: Wayward Dems Benefit from Contributions," accessed July 19, 2013
- ↑ LA Times, "GOP rejects Dream Act-like deportation deferrals," accessed June 10, 2013
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 Huffington Post, "Steve King Amendment passes House to deport more dreamers," accessed June 10, 2013
- ↑ Fox News, "House votes to resume deporting young DREAM Act immigrants," accessed June 10, 2013
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Steve King's Amendment to the Immigration Bill worsens the GOP's Latino problem," accessed June 10, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff," accessed January 4, 2013
- ↑ A Line of Sight, "2010 House Dem Voting Report," accessed 2010
- ↑ Washington Post, "U.S. Congress Votes Database, 111th Congress," accessed 2011
- ↑ US House Clerk, "Roll Call 690," accessed December 10, 2008
- ↑ Gallup, "Among Recent Bills, Financial Reform a Lone Plus for Congress," accessed September 13, 2010
- ↑ US House Clerk, "Roll Call 46," accessed January 28, 2009
- ↑ Rasmussen, "38% Say Stimulus Plan Helped Economy, 36% Say It Hurt," accessed August 24, 2010
- ↑ US House Clerk, "Roll Call 314," accessed June 9, 2009
- ↑ Rasmussen, "54% Oppose “Cash for Clunkers” Plan To Spur Purchase of Greener Cars," accessed June 23, 2009
- ↑ 11 Alive.com, "Georgia lawmakers explain their positions on Syria," accessed September 5, 2013
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "John Barrow (D-GA), 2012," accessed February 18, 2014
- ↑ This figure represents the total percentage growth from either 2004 (if the member entered office in 2004 or earlier) or the member's first year in office (as noted in the chart below).
- ↑ This number was found by dividing each member's total net worth growth percentage by the number of years included in the calculation.
- ↑ This figure represents the total percentage growth divided by the number of years for which there are net worth figures for each member.
- ↑ This figure was calculated using median asset data from the Census Bureau. Please see the Congressional Net Worth data for Ballotpedia spreadsheet for more information on this calculation.
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Rep. John Barrow," accessed September 23, 2014
- ↑ GovTrack, "Barrow," accessed July 29, 2014
- ↑ OpenCongress, "Rep. John Barrow," archived February 28, 2016
- ↑ GovTrack, "John Barrow," accessed July 29, 2014
- ↑ LegiStorm, "John Barrow," accessed 2012
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Congressional bonuses in a time of cuts," accessed March 8, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "2013 Congressional Vote Ratings," accessed July 29, 2014
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," accessed February 27, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," accessed February 23, 2012
- ↑ OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014
- ↑ OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014
| Political offices | ||
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U.S. House Georgia District 12 2005-2015 |
Succeeded by Rick Allen (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Athens-Clarke City-County Commissioner 1990-2004 |
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