ATLANTA — State and federal office holders and their challengers who hope to impact Cobb County and Georgia filed the required paperwork at the Gold Dome on Monday to get on the ballot for the July 15 primary.

Qualifying for the summer primary began at 9 a.m. and ends noon Friday.

Among the challengers was an east Cobb Air Force veteran who intends to unseat U.S. Rep. Dr. Tom Price (R-Roswell).

Price was first elected to the Sixth District, which encompasses parts of Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb and Cherokee counties, in November 2004.

“It’s an exciting day because it’s the beginning of another election season. Another election season in Georgia means citizens all across this state have another opportunity to select their leaders,” Price said.

Price’s Democratic challenger who filed for office Monday is Bill Jones, 53. Jones was awarded the Air Medal and the National Defense Service Medal during his 21 years in the Air Force. Jones also spent a 19-year career as a pilot with Delta Air Lines before moving on to serve as chief financial officer of a Marietta-based technology firm, SA Technologies.

With rising energy and healthcare costs and diving homes values, Jones believes citizens are experiencing the rockiest economic situation in 60 years.

“These circumstances are not the result of random market forces or normal economic cycles. They are the direct result of the mismanagement and misguided priorities of our current representatives in Washington,” Jones said.

Price is not the only one with opposition.

Vying to unseat U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-Atlanta) to represent District 13 Monday is former state Sen. Donzella James, 59, a Democrat who served four terms in the state senate beginning in 1993.

District 13 includes portions of six counties: Cobb, Clayton, Douglas, Fulton, Henry and DeKalb.

James accuses Scott of shifting his loyalties from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama.

“They have a nickname: flip-flop Scott. I didn’t give it to him. And I see why. I was with Obama from the beginning. Had I been with Hillary from the beginning I wouldn’t have changed because my word is my bond,” James said.

James unsuccessfully tried to unseat Scott in the last election.

“What he brought back to the district, Donald Duck could have brought back. Anybody who has been in that seat automatically got back federal monies to the district. So he has not fought for us. He does not live in the district…It’s time for a change,” James said.

For his part, Scott, 62, said his record speaks for itself.

“I stand on my record, and I think the people will stand with me,” Scott said.

By co-chairing the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism and Nuclear Proliferation, Scott said he was instrumental in blocking John McCain from axing the F-22 at Lockheed.

“I’ve been very instrumental in making sure that Lockheed gets their needs,” Scott said.

“The thing about it is people know David Scott. I’ve been there for 6 years. I have a record of achievement and accomplishment. I’ve served Cobb County very well,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, 65, (R-Marietta) remains unchallenged in District 11.

Among Cobb’s 14 state representatives, only Matt Dollar (R-east Cobb) is currently being challenged. His opponent is RuthE Levy (D-east Cobb). The E stands for Ellen and is part of her first name. She is an Air Force veteran who intends to overcome the long held notion that east Cobb is Republican country.

“I think they’re actually a lot of non partisan issues, water being one of them, that everybody can agree on. I’m going to be out there on the street meeting people and going door to door. And I’m going to use an intelligent strategy,” Levy said.

Levy has already denounced Dollar for his alleged lack of leadership, a charge Dollar dismisses.

Other Cobb state representatives who qualified Monday were Judy Manning (R-Marietta), Don Wix (D-Mableton), Rich Golick (R-Smyrna), Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), Terry Johnson (D-Marietta), Steve Tumlin (R-Marietta), Alisha Thomas Morgan (D-Austell), Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna), Sharon Cooper (R-east Cobb), Don Parsons (R-east Cobb), and Sheila Jones (D-South Cobb).

Cobb’s five state senators all qualified Monday, as did Cobb District Attorney Pat Head.

Qualifying for U.S. Senate Monday was incumbent Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and challenger Jim Martin, an Atlanta attorney running on the Democratic ticket.

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