Former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes announced Wednesday he will run for his old seat in 2010, presenting Democrats with possibly their best chance of taking Georgia’s open seat in 2010.

Barnes’ entry to the race has prompted CQ Politics to change the rating of the race from “Republican Favored” to the less-certain rating of “Leans Republican.” Barnes’ statewide name recognition and experience makes him the instant front-runner for his party’s nomination and the biggest potential threat to Republicans at this early stage in the contest.

At a press conference in Marietta, Ga., on Wednesday, Barnes railed against special interests and lobbyists “in their tassel loafers with their eelskin briefcases.”

“The special interests get the bailouts and our people get higher taxes and the crumbs that fall from their banquet table. Georgia needs somebody to balance the scales, to stand up for them,” Barnes said.

Barnes was governor for one term, from 1999 to 2003, and was defeated for re-election in 2002 by the current governor, Republican Sonny Perdue .

Barnes enters a Democratic primary field that, for now, remains crowded. Former adjutant general David Poythress, State Attorney General Thurbert Baker, and state House Minority Leader DuBose Porter are all competing for the Democratic nomination.

Democratic state party spokesman Martin Matheny said Wednesday that the party hopes to avoid a divisive primary.

“I don’t think it’s a secret to anybody that we had a fairly nasty Democratic primary in 2006,” Matheny said. “I feel as though the Democrats here in Georgia learned our lessons from that ... and I don’t think Republicans have learned that lesson.”

In 2006, Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor and Secretary of State Cathy Cox lobbed attacks at one another during the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Taylor won his party’s nomination but Perdue prevailed over Taylor that November. Perdue is prevented by term limits from seeking re-election in 2010.

But Barnes does not appear to have a clear path to the Democratic nomination. In advance of his announcement, Poythress restated his commitment to the race.

In an interview Wednesday, Poythress said he believes history will repeat itself. The 2002 election, when Barnes lost to Perdue, “was certainly a referendum on his style of divisive and polarizing leadership and the voters gave him an answer,” Poythress said. “And I think [2010] is going to be another referendum on the same thing and they’re going to give him the same answer.”

Critics hammered Barnes during his tenure for changing the state flag by reducing the prominence of the Confederate emblem. Barnes notes he was honored with the 2003 John F. Kennedy Library Foundation Profiles in Courage Award for the flag redesign.

Barnes mentioned the flag flap during his campaign speech and reflected on his re-election loss.