A former member of a city planning and zoning board is challenging an eight-year incumbent in the race for the Georgia House District 98 seat.

David Hancock has never held elected office, but he said he believes his years on Suwanee's Planning and Zoning Commission qualify him for the House seat.

He's going against incumbent Bobby Reese of Sugar Hill in the Republican primary July 15.

Hancock, 47, said when he moved outside Suwanee's city limits he had to resign from the Planning and Zoning Commission. "I was looking around for another way to serve," he said, having resigned from the homeowners' board of Edinborough, a subdivision off Suwanee Dam Road.

His two children are teenagers now, he said, and his wife Darlene has agreed that he can devote the necessary time to serving in the General Assembly. Hancock's company makes software for the manufacturing industry.

The issues that most concern people in District 98 include putting a cap on state spending and dealing with traffic congestion, Hancock said. He believes widening Ga. 20 would be a good beginning.

"I'm willing to put a lot of time into this office," Hancock said. "I'm very good at accomplishing my goals."

He also says he will be responsive to constituents, an area in which he feels Reese could improve.

Reese said to say he is unresponsive is "nuts."

"If I'm on the House floor, and you call me, I'm not going to be able to answer," he said. "But I answer all my e-mails personally."

Reese, 53, served as chairman of the Gwinnett legislative delegation in 2007 and 2008. He began serving as representative in 1998. He resigned in 2002 to run for the Georgia Senate but lost that race, returning to the House seat in 2004.

Two years ago, Reese defeated challenger and political veteran Wayne Hill, the former Gwinnett Commission chairman, in the Republican primary. He was surprised to have opposition this year, especially because Hancock hasn't held elected office before.

The father of two grown daughters, Reese was recently honored in Buford by the Georgia Canine Coalition for sponsoring tough anti-dogfighting legislation. He serves on committees for appropriations, education and banking. He also is a vice chairman of the Industrial Relations Committee and a vice chairman of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee.

Reese said the concerns of his constituents include illegal immigration, education and taxes. As a real estate broker, he has seen property values decline but hasn't seen a corresponding drop in property tax assessments. Transportation is also a big issue.

"Most people like to talk about mass transit, but they don't want it up here," said Reese. "I voted against a transportation funding bill because giving DOT more money would have made them less accountable. But [Ga.] Highway 20 does need some work done on it."