What Is Goin’ On?

On Friday, The Savannah Morning News endorsed John Barrow for re-election to Congress from the 12th District. This is the first time the newspaper has endorsed Barrow.

12th District voters should send incumbent John Barrow back to Washington.

TWO-TERM CONGRESSMAN John Barrow is a centrist Democrat who generally votes according to the needs of Georgia’s 12th District, not the will of liberal Democratic leaders in Congress.

His record is largely pro-business, pro-growth, pro-natural security, pro-Savannah port and pro-Second Amendment - positions in tune with the majority of constituents he represents. For this reason and others, we recommend that district voters keep the Savannah legislator in the U.S. House for another term.

Mr. Barrow is one of those lawmakers who has matured and grown while in public office. In 2004, when he knocked off Republican incumbent Max Burns, there was considerable concern the freshman legislator would be a rubber stamp for the high-tax, anti-business wing of his party.

Fortunately, that didn’t happen. Indeed, he showed his independence by voting to protect gun manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits, which helped earn him this year’s endorsement of the National Rifle Association’s political action committee. In 2006, he won a close race in a rematch with Mr. Burns, whom this newspaper endorsed at that time.

But for this election, we believe Mr. Barrow has earned a return trip to Washington. We support his candidacy.

Put simply, he has proven his worth and his mettle. He understands that the road to prosperity and a better life in this part of Georgia is paved with jobs and paychecks, not handouts and giveaways. He knows that the nation must have the necessary tools to protect itself against terrorists. He correctly realizes that the prescription for energy independence includes safe and responsible drilling as an ingredient.

This may come as a surprise, but Mr. Barrow recently earned a higher score than U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, from the pro-business U.S. Chamber of Commerce. On the chamber’s latest scorecard on key votes, Mr. Barrow earned an 80 percent (out of 100), tying him with U.S. Rep. Tom Price, R-Roswell, at the top of Georgia’s delegation.

Mr. Kingston, who’s solid on economic issues, got a 65. (Mr. Kingston’s cumulative score during his 16 years in office is 87 percent; Mr. Barrow’s score is 74 percent.)

Liberal Democrats babble that groups like the chamber are simply arm-twisters for the Republican Party. But they are the lawmakers who are out of touch, as bashing business only cripples job creation and growth at a time this country sorely needs it.

That’s why Mr. Barrow is one of several dozen conservative and moderate House Dems known as “blue dog Democrats” who don’t march in lockstep with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (Southern Democrats once were known as yellow-dog Democrats - party loyalists who’d vote for a yellow dog if it had a “D” after its name. Blue dogs are those who have been choked blue by liberal party leaders.) This bloc influences legislation in a positive way within the majority party.

Mr. Barrow broke ranks with Ms. Pelosi and voted to support continued funding for U.S. troops in Iraq and against mandated timetables for withdrawal. We criticized his opposition to the surge, however. And we remain deeply critical of his support of a bill, which Barack Obama supports, that will do away with the secret ballot process to unionize workplaces. Such a law, which we hope Republican senators have enough votes to filibuster, will spell doom for any economic recovery.

But on balance, Mr. Barrow has been good for the 12th District. He fairly reflects this politically balanced area, which stretches from Savannah on the coast to Augusta upriver and includes many smaller communities and rural areas in between. Republican opponent John Stone, a former aide to Max Burns and the late Charles Norwood, is well-versed on the issues. But we are concerned that his protectionist slant on trade could hurt Savannah’s port and the region.

Conversely, Mr. Barrow has been solidly behind the port. He could play a key role in getting needed federal funds for its deepening. This blue dog can hunt, and voters should ship the incumbent back to the House next Tuesday.