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Roy Eugene Barnes is an American attorney, politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 80th Governor of Georgia from January 1999 until January 2003.
A member of the Georgia Senate from 1974 to 1990, Barnes ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 1990, losing to Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller in the Democratic primary. Barnes then served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1992 to 1998. He ran for Governor again in 1998, handily winning the primary and general elections.
In 2003, Barnes was awarded the Profile in Courage Award by the John F. Kennedy Library for his success while Governor of minimizing the Confederate battle emblem on the Georgia state flag despite the political fallout. It is widely believed that his support of the flag change significantly contributed to his re-election defeat in 2002.
After his defeat, Barnes resumed the practice of law and co-chaired the Aspen Institute Commission on No Child Left Behind Act. He returned to politics when he ran for Governor again in 2010, losing to Republican Nathan Deal.
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