In March, a mysterious raid by nightflying attack helicopters rocketed public buildings in villages in the Kodori Gorge, a region of the breakaway region of Abkhazia where Georgia has reestablished its rule.

ECONOMIST: Why Georgia must join NATO

Georgia's World Bank rule-of-law score rose from nine out of 100 in 2002 (in the bottom 10%) to 33 at the end of 2006 low, but better.

ECONOMIST: Economics and the rule of law

For two centuries, Georgia struggled to maintain its identity under czarist and then Soviet rule, and since becoming independent 13 years ago, Georgia has pursued perhaps the most pro-American foreign policy of any former Soviet republic, both under former President Eduard Shevardnadze and the new young leader who toppled him in the Rose Revolution of 2003, 37-year-old Mikhail Sakashvili.

NPR: Bush to Praise Democracy in Georgia During Visit

To have a shot in Georgia--where Democrats run up big numbers in Atlanta and Republicans rule the suburbs--Gore must carry swing areas such as the 8th District.

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But Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh says his government refuses to even consider Georgia's recent offer of autonomy because Tbilisi has lost any moral authority to rule Abkhazia.

NPR: Conflict Brewing Over Breakaway Georgian Province

However, Professors Lin Jiang and Marie Thursby from Georgia Tech and Justin Tan from York University discovered that there are some exceptions to this rule, and some incumbents do manage to be inventors during the stage of technological dirsruption.

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