Georgia Republicans fend off Democratic effort to gain ground

ATLANTA - Democrats drew Georgia&#39;s congressional map, but in the end, Republicans drew the votes. <br> <br> Numerically, at least, the state&#39;s presence in Washington will appear roughly the same as two and a half years ago when a Republican and Democrat were in the Senate and eight Republicans were in the House. <br> <br> But Democrats had far bigger plans yesterday and figured their control over the redistricting process would help them take a 7-6 lead in a delegation now 8-3 Republican. Instead, a landslide in Georgia and elsewhere fueled largely by President Bush&#39;s popularity allowed the GOP to play spoiler. <br> <br> The party retained eight House seats in Georgia and even grabbed a Senate post. <br> <br> Senator-elect Saxby Chambliss&#39; middle-Georgia district was the only one of three battleground House seats captured by Democrats. Chambliss defeated Senator Max Cleland as Governor Barnes fell to Republican challenger Sonny Perdue. <br> <br> GOP Representative Jack Kingston said, ``This campaign started at reapportionment, and Roy Barnes accomplished what eighth grade social studies teachers have failed to do, which is teach us the definition of gerrymandering.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Of the two new seats Georgia acquired because of population increases, Democrats were able to nab only one, by David Scott in Atlanta&#39;s 13th District. Democrat Champ Walker lost the other in eastern Georgia to Republican Max Burns.