Election Returns On the Web: C-SPAN video of the Oct. 25 debate (RealVideo required)

Filing Deadline: May 1
Primary: July 21

Nov. 4, 1998 — State Rep. Roy Barnes staved off the tough campaign of Republican Guy Millner to succeed popular term-limited Democratic Gov. Zell Miller. Barnes beat Millner, 53 percent to 43 percent, with 98 percent of precincts reporting.

Debates: Millner began the campaign by challenging Barnes to a series of debates on the back of a flat-bed truck. They appeared only once in the truck, but their exchanges slowly heated up as they argued over taxes, transportation and education in Savannah, Atlanta and Augusta.

Advertising: Both candidates began their television campaigns with relatively few attacks, focusing instead on education and crime. But Millner launched into attack mode and Barnes followed in the final weeks. Between August and mid-October, Millner spent $6.6 million on television ads; Barnes spent $3.1 million during the same time period.

Money: Millner loaned his campaign more than $11.5 million, at least three times what he raised from donors. Barnes raised $9.7 million by Oct. 19, according reports.

Polls: Barnes and Millner were locked in a statistical dead heat as the campaign ended. A poll conducted Oct. 5-6 by Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research poll showed Millner leading 45 percent to 42 percent – within the poll's 3.5 percent margin of error.

— Ryan Thornburg, washingtonpost.com

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com