By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

Kathy Cox's students at Sandy Creek High School will learn government and history from a whole new perspective this year.

Their teacher will be involved in Georgia's state government, and will be able to give them first-hand accounts of how it works.

An exultant Cox said she was "still numb" Wednesday morning after unseating seasoned incumbent Dan Lakly in a runoff election for the 105th District state House of Representatives seat. She watched the last vote tally scroll onto a viewing screen at the County Administrative Complex Tuesday night, then hurried home to the cheers of supporters who had gathered at her Peachtree City home.

"It was a close victory, but I'll take it," said Cox. She took 3,035 votes (50.81 percent of the total) to Lakly's 2,938 (49.18 percent), barely avoiding a possible recount. Election workers recount only if the vote totals are less than 1 percent apart.

Her narrow victory in the Republican primary runoff propels her into the legislature, because no Democrat has qualified to run for the seat in the General Election Nov. 3.

"Yes, I'm surprised," she said. A newcomer to the political scene, she defeated a popular incumbent. When that happens, there is usually strong dissatisfaction among voters about the incumbent's record, but several political observers said they're aware of no negative feeling toward Lakly's representation.

Cox attributed the dark horse victory to hard work by her supporters and a positive campaign. "Everything helped," she said, giving special thanks to her campaign manager, Charlotte Robinson. "My family, teachers and former students were out there working. It ended up to be a totally grass-roots effort. All of my various activities and contacts with the community helped too," she added.

And she admitted her catchy slogan, "Check the box for Kathy Cox," probably didn't hurt. "It definitely helped with name recognition when I picked up the phone and called the voters," she said.

"And it was also people that knew me getting out and talking about me," she said.

"I am absolutely honored and thrilled," she added, "to be able to serve this community and to be chosen to represent them in the legislature."

Her winning campaign will be a useful teaching tool this fall, Cox said. "I'm glad to be able to show my students that you can do all this politics and you don't have to turn it into a boxing match."

Although she will have to take an unpaid leave of absence during the six-week session of the state General Assembly, which starts in mid-January, Cox said she will still be in touch with her students. "There will be a substitute teacher there, but with satellite technology I'll still have an opportunity to hook up with the students," she said.

She will teach only three classes starting this fall, one government class and two gifted world history classes, she said, allowing more time to begin representing west and north Fayette in the state's lawmaking body.

Cox said she believes in term limits, and doesn't plan to stay in the office forever. "Though I don't know what the future holds, I didn't get in this to make it my full-time vocation," she said. "We've just got to get regular people back involved in the system."