Story Created:
Nov 7, 2012 at 3:15 AM EDT
Story Updated:
Nov 7, 2012 at 3:55 PM EDT
ATLANTA (AP) - Democratic Rep. John Barrow was able to win a tough re-election battle due in large part to a number of Mitt Romney supporters who crossed party lines to vote for him.
Barrow will be returning to Congress after Tuesday's election in which he defeated Republican Lee Anderson in the 12th District. The seat was drawn last year to give the GOP an edge, though Barrow still managed 54 percent of the vote.
Unofficial returns show Barrow received roughly 19,000 more votes than President Barack Obama in the Republican-leaning district. That suggests that a number of those voters backed both Romney and Barrow.
Barrow ran as a pro-gun, pro-business independent who often disagrees with Obama and Washington Democrats.
Republicans in the district say Anderson was hurt by refusing to debate Barrow.
