DALTON, Ga. — In his first try at elected office, Murray County banker-turned-farmer Jason Ridley defeated longtime incumbent Tom Dickson in a runoff on Tuesday and is expected to represent state House of Representatives District 6 in the Legislature next year.

“I’m tickled to death,” Ridley said Tuesday night. “I’m just so grateful to the people for believing in me and trusting me. My word is as good as I said it is, and I will do what I said I would do, which is listen to the people.”

Ridley defeated Dickson by 1,839 votes (54.04 percent) to 1,564 votes (45.96 percent) in the runoff for the Republican nomination for District 6. No Democrat qualified, and the deadline for independent candidates has passed. The district includes parts of Whitfield and Murray counties.

Ridley said he got into the race because he doesn’t think politicians listen to the common man, and he said that during the next five months before he is sworn in he plans to get started doing exactly that.

“I want to find out what the people want and what they think has been neglected,” he said. “I’m going to be putting together some town hall meetings in Whitfield County and Murray County, find out what their concerns are and go from there.”

For Dickson, the defeat signals the close of a 12-year career in the Legislature.

A Whitfield County educator for 34 years, Dickson served as superintendent in Whitfield County from 1998 until June 2003. He became a leader on education policy in the Legislature, serving as a member of the Education Committee and the Appropriations Committee, which helps determine state spending, and as chairman of the education subcommittee on appropriations.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed with the results. But I’ll be OK. It’s time for me to move on with my life,” he said.

Dickson will continue to represent the district until the end of the year and he says he will continue to be active on any constituent service issues that come up.

“I’ve told the people I’ve been meeting with (Tuesday night) that I have appreciated their support, the hard work they have done,” he said. “And my family and I appreciate the way folks have stood behind us, not just this year but in previous elections.”