On the last full day left for candidates to enter races across the state, the dominant message was generational.

'Able' Mable Thomas, a 50-year-old state representative, told U.S. Rep. John Lewis, 68, that it was time for him to leave Congress.

"I believe that ... my opponent is not only beatable, but my opponent should — right now — just get out of the race and let a new generation come forth," Thomas said after paying her fee to enter the 5th District primary. "We've been with you; now why don't you stand with us?"

First elected to Congress in 1986, Lewis already had one Democratic opponent, the Rev. Markel Hutchins. Like Hutchins, Thomas took exception to Lewis' initial endorsement of Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential race.

"What it says is that he is out of touch, and did not see the movement — and he is a movement man," said Thomas, who also ran against Lewis in 1992.

She acknowledged Lewis' status as a "Civil Rights icon," but accused the incumbent of losing touch with a district that is a mixture of the state's richest and poorest residents. "It's good to be a national representative, but at some point you have to be a local representative," she said. "We offer him an exit strategy today."

Lewis, in a statement released Thursday, said, "No one is going to outwork me. No one is going to out campaign me. People talk about change. I am change. I will continue to represent all of the people of this district and fight for their concerns and fight for their needs."

The talk was also generational on the Democratic side of the U.S. Senate race. Ecologist Rand Knight, 36, became the fourth Democrat to sign up on Thursday.

Knight emphasized the need to develop alternative sources of energy, but doesn't want to be pigeon-holed as an environmental candidate.

"The Iraq war, health care, our debt, energy — this is all one issue. We've been separating it for too long," said Knight, an Atlanta resident.

Knight lags behind Atlanta attorney Jim Martin and DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones in fund-raising, reporting nearly $18,000 in cash on hand as of March 31. Former TV journalist Dale Cardwell also reported nearly $18,000 in available cash for the campaign.

But Knight, who is making his first run for public office, said his passion for campaigning would make up the difference, and said that major donors had been waiting until he formally signed up for the race.

"The average age in the Senate is 65 years old. They are tired. They are ready to retire. It's time we recruit into the ranks people who know how to get up there and fight for Democratic values," Knight said.

Candidates have until noon Friday to sign up for races.

Those who've qualified so far:

U.S. Senate

Saxby Chambliss (R), Moultrie (incumbent)

Jim Martin (D), Atlanta

Vernon Jones (D), DeKalb County

Dale Cardwell (D), Dunwoody

Rand Knight (D), Atlanta

U.S. House of Representatives

Jack Kingston (R), Savannah (incumbent)

Bill Gillespie (D), Tybee Island

District 2

Sanford Bishop (D), Columbus (incumbent)

Lee Ferrell (R), Albany

District 3

Lynn Westmoreland (R), (incumbent)

Stephen Camp (D), Newnan

District 4

Hank Johnson (D), Decatur (incumbent)

District 5

John Lewis (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

Markel Hutchins (D), Atlanta

"Able" Mable Thomas (D), Atlanta

District 6

Tom Price (R), Roswell (incumbent)

Bill Jones (D), Marietta

District 7

John Linder (R), Duluth (incumbent)

Doug Heckman (D), Norcross

District 8

Jim Marshall (D), Macon (incumbent)

Robert Nowak (D), Macon

Rick Goddard (R), Warner Robins

District 9

Nathan Deal (R) Gainesville (incumbent)

District 10

Paul Broun (R), Athens (incumbent)

Barry Fleming (R), Augusta

Bobby Saxon (D), Nicholson

District 11

Phil Gingrey (R), Marietta (incumbent)

District 12

John Barrow (D), Savannah (incumbent)

Regina Thomas (D), Savannah

John Stone (R), Hephzibah

Ben Crystal (R), Savannah

Ray McKinney (R), Rincon

District 13

David Scott (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

Donzella James (D), Atlanta

Deborah Honeycutt (R), Riverdale

Public Service Commission

Lauren "Bubba" McDonald (R), Clarksville

Bob Indech (D), Norcross

District 1

Doug Everett (R), Atlanta (incumbent)

Rick Collum (R), Moultrie

Georgia Senate

Curt Thompson (D), Norcross (incumbent)

District 6

Doug Stoner (D), Smyrna (incumbent)

William D. Adams (R), Atlanta

District 10

Emanuel Jones (D), Decatur (incumbent)

District 32

Judson Hill (R), Marietta (incumbent)

District 33

Steve Thompson (D), Marietta (incumbent)

District 34

Valencia Seay (D), Riverdale (incumbent)

Stephanie Campbell (D), Riverdale

District 35

Kasim Reed (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 36

Nan Orrock (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

Erik Underwood (D), Atlanta

District 37

John J. Wiles (R), Kennesaw (incumbent)

District 38

Horacena Tate (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 39

Vincent Fort (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 40

Dan Weber (R), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 41

Steve Henson (D), Tucker (incumbent)

District 42

David Adelman (D), Decatur (incumbent)

District 43

Ronald B. Ramsey, Sr. (D), Decatur (incumbent)

Angela Moore (D), Decatur

District 45

Renee S. Unterman (R), Buford (incumbent)

Peggy Armstrong (R), Lawrenceville

District 48

David Shafer (R), Duluth (incumbent)

District 55

Gloria Butler (D), Stone Mountain (incumbent)

District 56

Dan Moody (R), Alpharetta (incumbent)

Akhtar Sadiq (D), Roswell

Georgia House

Judy Manning (R), Marietta (incumbent)

District 33

Don Wix (D), Mableton (incumbent)

Michael Smith (D), Austell

District 34

Rich Golick (R), Smyrna (incumbent)

District 36

Earl Ehrhart (R), Powder Springs (incumbent)

District 37

Terry Johnson (D), Marietta (incumbent)

Cindye Coates (R), Marietta

District 38

Steve "Thunder" Tumlin (R), Marietta (incumbent)

Pat Dooley (D), Marietta

District 39

Alisha Thomas Morgan (D), Austell (incumbent)

District 40

Rob Teilhet (D), Smyrna (incumbent)

District 41

Sharon Cooper (R), Marietta (incumbent)

District 42

Don L. Parsons (R), Marietta (incumbent)

District 43

Bobby Franklin (R), Marietta (incumbent)

District 44

Sheila Jones (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

Steven D. Lee (D), Atlanta

District 45

Matt Dollar (R), Marietta (incumbent)

RuthE Levy (D), Marietta

District 46

Jan Jones (R), Milton (incumbent)

District 47

Chuck Martin (R), (incumbent)

Tony Patel (D), Alpharetta

District 48

Harry Geisinger (R), Roswell (incumbent)

District 49

Wendell Willard (R), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 50

Mark Burkhalter (R), Alpharetta (incumbent)

District 51

Tom Rice (R), Norcross (incumbent)

District 52

Joe Wilkinson (R), Sandy Springs (incumbent)

Chris Cameron (D), Atlanta

District 53

Elly Dobbs (D), Atlanta

District 54

Edward Lindsey (R), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 55

Joel Alvarado (D), Atlanta

Leonard "Mzee" Tate (D), Atlanta

Rashad Taylor (D), Atlanta

District 56

Kathy Ashe (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 58

Robbin Shipp (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 59

Margaret D Kaiser (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 60

Georganna Sinkfield (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 61

Ralph Long, III (D), Atlanta

Tony M.L. McCann (D), Atlanta

Keisha Waites (D), Atlanta

Edith Lapido (D), Atlanta

Daniel A. Blackman (D), Atlanta

Kelley Jackson (D), East Point

District 62

Joe Heckstall (D), East Point (incumbent)

District 63

Tyrone Brooks (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 64

Roger Bruce (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

Charles Brant (D), Atlanta

District 65

Sharon Beasley-Teague (D), Red Oak (incumbent)

Sandra B. Hardy (D), Fairburn

Woody Holmes (D), Fairburn

Charles Sharper (D), Atlanta

Lewanna Heard (D), Atlanta

District 77

Darryl Jordan (D), Riverdale (incumbent)

District 79

Fran Millar (R), Dunwoody (incumbent)

Keith A. Kaylor (D), Atlanta

District 80

Mike Jacobs (R), Atlanta (incumbent)

Keith Gross (D), Atlanta

District 81

Chris Hutman (D), Chamblee

Cecillia Hailey (D), Atlanta

District 82

Kevin Levitas (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 83

Mary Margaret Oliver (D), Decatur (incumbent)

District 84

Stacey Abrams (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 85

Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 86

Karla Drenner (D), Avondale (incumbent)

District 87

Michele Henson (D), Stone Mountain (incumbent)

District 88

Billy Mitchell (D), Stone Mountain (incumbent)

Robford Hill (D), Redan

District 89

Earnest "Coach" Williams (D), Avondale (incumbent)

District 90

Howard Mosby (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

District 91

Rahn Mayo (D), Decatur

Rita Robinzine (D), Ellenwood

Byron Wilson (D), Ellenwood

Otis Marks II (D), Decatur

District 92

Pam S. Stephenson (D), Lithonia (incumbent)

District 93

Malik Douglas (D), Lithonia

Jim Sendelbach (D), Conyers

Colet Odenigbo (D), Lithonia

KaTesha Sagers (D), Decatur

Traci Waites (D), Conyers

Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D), Lithonia

District 94

Randal Mangham (D), Decatur (incumbent)

Andrew Bostic (D), Lithonia

District 95

George Wilson (D), Stone Mountain

District 96

Pedro "Pete" Marin (D), Duluth (incumbent)

Keith A. Shewbert (D), Norcross

District 97

Brooks Coleman (R), Duluth (incumbent)

District 98

Bobby Reese (R), Sugar Hill (incumbent)

David Hancock (R), Suwanee

District 99

Hugh Floyd (D), Norcross (incumbent)

District 100

Brian Thomas (D), Lilburn (incumbent)

District 101

Michael T. (Mike) Coan (R), Lawrenceville (incumbent)

District 102

Clay Cox (R), Lilburn (incumbent)

District 104

John Heard (R), Lawrenceville (incumbent)

District 105

Donna Sheldon (R), Dacula (incumbent)

District 106

Melvin Everson (R), Snellville (incumbent)

Tony Lentini (D), Snellville

Metro Atlanta District Attorneys

Paul Howard (D), Atlanta (incumbent)

Clayton Circuit

Jewel Scott (D), Jonesboro (incumbent)

Herbert Adams (D), Riverdale

Cobb Circuit

Pat Head (R), Marietta (incumbent)

Gwinnett Circuit

Daniel J. "Danny" Porter (R), Lawrenceville (incumbent)

Stone Mountain Circuit

Gwen Keyes Fleming (D), Lithonia (incumbent)