Political records: What they say about governor candidates

The emerging portraits:

Deal was considered a "de facto dean of the GOP delegation" before he left Congress to run for governor, "one who others turned to when they needed advice on a piece of legislation or unity on a statewide issue back home," writes AJC Washington reporter Bob Keefe . Deal's political life, for the most part, has been "reserved and unremarkable." Says one observer, he was "a steady-at-the-wheel type of guy" who was known to focus on issues relevant to his northwest Georgia district.

Barnes, on the other hand, writes the AJC's James Salzer , was a governor "who acted like he never expected to serve a second term.... He alienated so many people that he created a cadre of political enemies anxious to poison any chance he had of winning re-election." Turns out, it was the former governor's hands-on, CEO, always-in-control style that produced enmity. Since then, Barnes says, he's slowed down and he's learned to listen more. And he promises not to quickly try to solve every problem the state faces.

The closest John Monds has been to winning a political office was the nearly 1.1 million votes - a third of the results - he received in 2008 when he ran for a seat on the Public Service Commission. AJC reporter Bill Torpy writes that Monds, who often sees himself as the Rodney Dangerfield of the Georgia gubernatorial race, is "even-keeled, low key, always on message," a reflection of the financial planner he is by profession. Monds believes rampant voter anger means voters may give him a second look.