Former Democratic governor and Republican U.S. senator say FBI raid and renewed 2020 claims undermine confidence in Georgia’s voting system and threaten the rule of law.
Former Gov. Roy Barnes (right) and former U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (left). (Natalie Mendenhall/AJC)
As Republicans weigh whether to move toward a state takeover of Fulton County’s elections, two former Georgia powerbrokers from opposite parties issued a joint warning: Don’t relitigate 2020 — and don’t bend the law to do it.
Former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes and former Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss told the “Politically Georgia” podcast that the Trump administration’s fresh scrutiny of Fulton County risks undermining confidence in Georgia’s election system — and setting a precedent that could be turned against the GOP.
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‘Better things to do’
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An FBI agent appears at Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Union City on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, as the FBI conducts a raid connected to the 2020 election. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
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Georgia voters wait to cast their ballots on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. (Alyssa Pointer/AJC)
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‘Partisanship has limits’
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Former Gov. Roy Barnes and former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss. Audrey Haynes/UGA
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Former Georgia Gov.Roy Barnes. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
