Roy E. Barnes was born in the town of Mableton, Georgia in Cobb County on March 11, 1948. He earned his law degree from the University of Georgia in 1972 and went to work in the district attorney's office in his home county right out of school. He was elected to the state senate in 1974 as a Democrat, serving eight terms, including a stint as floor leader for Governor Joe Frank Harris. After an unsuccessful run for governor against Zell Miller in 1990, Barnes moved over to the state House of Representatives. Barnes made a second, successful run for the governor's mansion in 1998. His tenure in office focused on education and patients' rights, but was also marked by controversy over the state flag. His support for removing the Confederate battle emblem from the flag, cost him re-election in 2002, and Sonny Perdue became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Reconstruction. Barnes went on to work with legal aid groups and opened his own law firm in the Atlanta area.; Interviewed by Dr. Mel Steely on October 4, 2005 at Governor Barnes' Office in Marietta, Georgia.; Barnes assesses his relationship with Governor Zell Miller, particularly his initial disagreement with Miller over the Georgia Lottery and the HOPE Scholarship. He discusses his aspirations to be Governor, his memories of being in office, and how much he enjoys making a difference. He notes that the reason he ran was his interest in what the Governor can do and how he could set the agenda for the state, and details his experiences in his campaign and fundraising efforts. He details his relationships with several Georgia political figures, including Wyche Fowler, Speaker Thomas Murphy, and Joe Frank Harris. Barnes spends a few minutes talking about his connections with the African-American community as well as union workers. He also describes the differences between and among Democrats and Republicans both in Georgia and on a national level. He concludes the interview by discussing the political fallout of the secularization of the Democratic Party and the evolution of the Republican Party into a religious party, as well as polarizing topics of race and religion, which he states will negatively affect both parties.