State Highlights

Nathan Deal, a conservative nine-term Republican congressman, survived a bruising governor’s race, claiming victory over Roy Barnes, a former Democratic governor who was trying to make a political comeback.

The candidates’ initial focus on economic policies soon gave way to personal attacks. The negative campaigning, and the presence of a third candidate, John Monds of the Libertarian Party, had led to speculation that neither major-party candidate would get more than half of the vote, forcing a runoff. But Mr. Deal tallied above 50 percent.

Senator Johnny Isakson, a Republican, scored an expected easy victory over his Democratic challenger, Mike Thurmond, the state labor commissioner.

Republicans picked up one House seat, giving them an 8-to-5 edge in the state. In the Eighth Congressional District, in the central part of the state surrounding Macon, Austin Scott, a Republican state representative, took the seat held by Representative Jim Marshall, one of the most conservative Democrats in the House.

In the Second District, in southwestern Georgia, Representative Sanford D. Bishop Jr., a longtime Democratic incumbent, held off his Republican opponent, Mike Keown, despite initial reports from The Associated Press that Mr. Keown had won.

HENRY FOUNTAIN