Cox says new governor will end conflict over education

ATLANTA - The new state school superintendent says the conflict over education during Governor Barnes&#39; administration will disappear now that Republican Sonny Perdue has been elected governor. <br> <br> Kathy Cox -- also a Republican -- had been a critic of Georgia&#39;s education reform pushed through by Barnes. She defeated teachers association executive Barbara Christmas Tuesday night -- saying she would return schools to their local communities. <br> <br> Cox is vowing to work closely with the new Republican governor and says she plans to clean up the state Board of Education. <br> <br> Her opponent, Democrat Barbara Christmas, blamed the loss on voter confusion between Kathy Cox -- spelled with a ``K&#39;&#39; -- and Democratic Secretary of State Cathy Cox -- spelled with a ``C.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Christmas also said she thinks the Republican tide was a factor. <br> <br> Cox won 53 percent of the vote to Christmas&#39; 44 percent.