Jones County will keep both of its representatives in the House during the upcoming legislative session due to a change of heart by one concerning an appointment to a statewide position.

Jones County is represented in the House by State Reps. Jim Cole and Bubber Epps. This past weekend Cole not only declined the appointment to fill the remain der of this term as Georgia’s secretary of state, but he also announced that he will not be seeking re-election as representa tive for House District 125.

Gov. Sonny Perdue offered Cole the job of Georgia secretary of state, which he accepted New Year’s Eve. He said he received a whirlwind of calls of congratula tions and drove across the state Saturday with the idea of building a statewide campaign network in mind.

“I got home late Saturday night and started getting a nagging feel ing in my gut I could not shake,” he said.

Cole said his daughter Caroline was spending the night with his mother, but his 6-year-old son Lawson was at home. He said he could not sleep and could not stay out of Lawson’s room. The next morning, he went to talk to friends, pastor, and his wife Gaylyn before making his deci sion. The next step was a phone call to the governor. Cole said Perdue was gracious.

Cole has been working for Mercer University in Macon as executive director of its ath letic foundation for a year and a half and about six months ago explored the possibility of long term employment with university president Dr. Bill Underwood.

He said Underwood told him opportunities were available, and he made the decision not to run for re-election. Cole said he shared his decision with the governor.

“Politics have been a big part of my life, but I only attended 30 per cent of Lawson’s baseball games last year. I decided to step away from politics until my children are well on their way to success in life,” he said.

He said he thought everything was settled and he was getting ready for the session when the secretary of state office became an option.

Cole said he felt politics were already consuming him, and looking at running a statewide campaign was going to take it to another level.

“My priorities had gotten all wrong, and the politics portion was out of kilter,” he said.

Cole said, to be honest, the sit uation with the former speaker of the House affected his deci sion to seek other career opportunities.

“I’ve seen how people can lose their families. I think the House still has a ways to go with their leadership team. I’ve spent a lot of energy that I can’t recoup,” he said.

Cole’s appointment as secretary of state would have put him on the fast track to running for a full term as secretary of state in November and governor in 2014, and he said the deci sion to decline the offer was not easy.

He said the governor has been good to him and has acted as a friend and a mentor.

“That relationship is more important to me than the professional one,” he stated. “I don’t think I could have made this decision without his example of family first.”

Cole was elected to rep resent House District 125 in 2004, which includes Jasper County and parts of Monroe, Jones and Lamar counties. The representa tive began his third term in office last year as Perdue’s senior administrative floor leader and a member of the powerful House Rules and Appropriations committees. The representat ive attended Mercer University on an academic and athletic scholarship and played base ball. After graduating with honors, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers and played professional base ball until a career-ending injury. He returned to mid dle Georgia and completed his MBA at Mercer. In 1997 he started Culligan Water of Middle Georgia.

In addition to being a legislator, Cole is also an active community leader. He lives in Forsyth and serves on the board of directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce. He is a gradu ate of Leadership Georgia, a member of Forsyth United Methodist Church, a direc tor for the Georgia Industrial Children’s Home, and the president of the Mercer University Booster Club.

Cole emphasized that he will remain Jones County’s representative until his replacement is sworn in January of 2011, and he will continue to work for issues such as Gray’s bypass and help with the recreation complex. He said he appre ciates the support he has received from Jones County and the many friends he has made, including Billy Moore, Cecil Ethridge, and Euzell Johnson.

“I know Jones County is the reason I’ve won elec tions,” he noted.

Cole said in 12 years both his children will be out of high school and he will still be young enough to give politics another look. But, for now, he is certain he has made the right decision.

“After I talked to the gov ernor, I felt like 1,000 pounds were lifted from my shoul ders, and I slept,” he added.