Cain. Staton was first elected in 2004, facing both primary and general election opposition. He was re-elected without opposition in 2006, 2008, and 2010. In 2012, Staton defeated a primary opponent and with no general election opponent was elected to a fifth term. He served as vice-chair of the Republican Caucus before being elected Majority Whip in November 2010, and as such served on the Committee on Assignments, which appoints committee chairs and members. in his final term, Staton also served on the Rules, Appropriations, Finance, Higher Education, Banking, and Reapportionment committees. He also served as chair of the subcommittee of Appropriations on Higher Education, responsible for the state's nearly $2 billion annual investment in higher education, and as vice-chair of the subcommittee on Community Health. For five years he served as chair of the Senate Science and Technology Committee. He was involved with higher education and health-care issues including trauma care, and sponsored elections bills including Georgia's requirement for a photo identification for elections. During his legislative career, Staton worked in the areas of health care and higher education. In 2007, he was awarded the Star of Life award by the Georgia Association of Emergency Medical Services. In 2010, Staton was named Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Rural Health Care Association as well as Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Technology Association. In 2011, Staton was named legislator of the year by the Georgia Hospital Association. And in 2012, Georgia Bio recognized Staton as their legislator of the year at awards ceremonies held in Atlanta on January 26. In 2014, Staton received the Miller-Deal Award from the Georgia Independent College Association. During the 2014 session, Staton announced that he would not seek re-election. In May 2014, it was announced that Staton would join the University System of Georgia as Vice-Chancellor for Extended Education. The University System of Georgia comprises 28 colleges and universities including the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. Staton served as the Chief International Officer for the system and was responsible for the system-wide priorities of international education, continuing and professional education, entrepreneurial education, and military affairs. Academic career Brewton-Parker College Staton served as professor at Brewton-Parker College in Mt. Vernon, Georgia from 1989 through 1991. He served as a member of the Promotions and Tenure Committee and as an editor for the institutional self-study for renewal of accreditation (1990—1991). Staton taught New