ATLANTA — Roy Barnes has won the Democratic nomination for governor, avoiding a runoff by trouncing six opponents in the first electoral test of his comeback bid.
The former governor swept to a commanding lead in Tuesday's primary. With 44 percent of precincts reporting, unofficial returns show Barnes with 63 percent of the vote. Attorney General Thurbert Baker was a distant second with 22 percent.
The other five Democrats in the race were far behind in the single digits.
Ousted from the governor's mansion in 2002, Barnes jumped back into the fray last year and has dominated the Democratic contest. He's raised far more money than anyone else in the race and has been attacking the state's ruling Republicans for budget cuts that have hurt Georgia schools.
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