Barge Running For Governor | Georgia Public Broadcasting

Even though he’s a Republican, Barge openly campaigned against the GOP-backed charter school amendment on the 2012 ballot.

But experts say he isn’t likely to use the campaign as a stepping stone to higher office. Instead, they say it’s his way out of a defeat in next year’s race for school superintendent.

Marc Rountree is an Atlanta-based Republican strategist. He says Barge would likely have faced a primary challenge.

“So if he was going to have to face a primary for his re-election, he may as well jump and try to win the bigger prize,” he said in an interview. “I also think he’s depending on other candidates perhaps jumping in the race, each peeling off 5 percent to 10 percent of the votes at a clip.”

via Barge Running For Governor.