Negative ads expected in governor's race

ATLANTA - With the primary over, the outlook for the Georgia governor&#39;s race is for a closely fought contest with negative ads on both sides. <br> <br> The November 5 general election could be tight. <br> <br> Republican voters picked former state Senator Sonny Perdue in Tuesday&#39;s primary. He is an experienced politician who was elected to the state Senate four times and rose to the chamber&#39;s second highest position. <br> <br> Perdue will be up against Governor Barnes -- himself a veteran of numerous campaigns, including a losing bid for governor in 1990. <br> <br> Both candidates are financially secure. <br> <br> Perdue operates a grain warehouse and trucking company in middle Georgia&#39;s Bonaire. He showed a net worth of $4.4 million on his financial disclosure statement. <br> <br> Barnes -- a lawyer from Cobb County -- showed a net worth of $12.3 million. <br> <br> Barnes has the advantage in campaign funding. The June 30 disclosure statements showed Barnes with more than nine million dollars to Perdue&#39;s $875,000. <br> <br> Earlier this summer, Perdue drew first blood with a campaign video depicting Barnes as a cartoon rat labeled ``King Roy&#39;&#39; swaggering through a cityscape and gnawing at the Capitol dome. Barnes fired back last week with a campaign ad asserting that while a state legislator, Perdue worked to help convicted felons.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/8/191007