Bobby Kahn taking leave to work in Barnes re-election campaign

ATLANTA - Governor Barnes&#39; top aide, Bobby Kahn, is taking a leave of absence from state government to work for Barnes&#39; re-election campaign. <br> <br> The announcement was made Tuesday, and the step was effective immediately. <br> <br> The 44-year-old Kahn has served as Barnes&#39; chief of staff throughout the administration and before that was the primary political consultant and campaign manager for Barnes&#39; gubernatorial campaign. <br> <br> A native of Savannah, Kahn is a former executive director of the state Democratic Party and was president of the local organization that hosted the 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. <br> <br> Barnes is unopposed in the August 20 Democratic primary, but three Republicans are seeking the nomination to oppose him in November. They are former state Senator Sonny Perdue, former Cobb County Commission Chairman Bill Byrne and state School Superintendent Linda Schrenko. <br> <br> Kahn said he plans to return to his former position if Barnes is re-elected.