Georgia Republicans target Rep. Barrow with new map

Georgia Republicans have released a redistricting map that targets Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.) and creates a new safely Republican seat in the northeastern part of the state.

Barrow, one of the few remaining Blue Dog Democrats, loses his home base of Savannah in the new map, but has moved before to run for office after Republicans targeted him and plans to do so again. In a statement, Barrow said the maps "put politics above the interests of the people I represent" and that he will run for office again.

The district he plans to run in is 36 percent African-American, down from his current district, which is 43 percent black. Many black voters are shifted to Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr.'s (D-Ga.) district, making him less vulnerable. Bishop won by just a three-point margin in 2010.

Barrow has won in tough districts before: His current district gave President Obama 55 percent of the vote in 2008 but went narrowly for President George W. Bush in 2004. While many other Southern white Democrats lost in 2010, he prevailed with 57 percent of the vote.

If Barrow loses, the Georgia congressional delegation would go from eight Republicans and five Democrats to 10 Republicans and four Democrats.