At least 13 incumbents, challengers sign lobbyist gift ban pledge

House District 60: Incumbent Rep. Keisha Waites will face Antonio Lewis, 25, of Atlanta in the Democratic primary.

House District 96: A pair of Republican challengers, Mark Gorman, 25, of Norcross, and Mark Williams, 50, of Duluth, will battle in July.

House District 1: Republicans Mike Nowlin of Chickamauga, and Alan Painter of Rossville, a pair of challengers, will face off in the primary.

House District 28: Bill Grant, of Toccoa, and Jon Heffer of Toccoa will compete in the GOP primary.

House District 66: Republicans Bob Snelling of Douglasville and Mickey Thompson of Douglasville qualified for the primary.

House District 77: Incumbent Rep. Darryl Jordan, a Riverdale Democrat, will face Democrat Kevin Thomas of Jonesboro.

House District 114: Tom Kirby of Loganville and Rodney Upton of Conyers, both Republicans, qualified Wednesday. The winner will face incumbent Democratic Rep. Keith Heard of Athens.

Senate District 7: State Rep. Mark Hatfield, R-Waycross, will face retired physician Rodney Vickers, 65, of Douglas.

In Senate District 18, incumbent Republican Cecil Staton of Macon will be challenged by Spencer Price. Price is a physician in Thomaston.

In Senate District 21, Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock will face Chamber of Commerce CEO Brandon Beach in July. Rogers has not yet qualified, but is expected to.

On the House side, Rep. Doug McKillip, R-Athens, will face Athens attorney Regina Quick in the Republican primary for District 117.

On the congressional front, incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson will face a primary challenge from 32-year-old Lincoln Nunnally of Porterdale, who listed his occupation as consultant. Republican U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey will face off with Michael Opitz of Marietta and Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Broun of Athens will face Republican Stephen Simpson of Milledgeville.

Two Republicans have thus far filed for the 12th congressional district, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. John Barrow. State Rep. Lee Anderson of Grovetown and attorney Wright McLeod of Augusta are the first two to qualify on the GOP side.

The only statewide primary thus far will be for the Public Service Commission, where incumbent Republican Stan Wise will be challenged by Pam Davidson of Douglasville.

Also, it's worth noting that Senate Rules Committee Chairman Don Balfour, R-Snellville, has picked up an opponent -- for November. Balfour is expected to face a primary challenge but whomever the GOP nominee is will face 50-year-old attorney Scott Drake of Lawrenceville in November. Drake is a Democrat.

11:54: At least 13 lawmakers or candidates have signed a pledge promising to support a $100 cap on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers.

The bipartisan group includes veteran legislators like Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta, Rep. Mark Hatfield, R-Waycross, who is now running for Senate, and state Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus.

Common Cause Georgia, the Georgia Tea Party Patriots and Georgia Conservatives in Action promised to make ethics reform a top issue in July primaries as well as the November general election.

Julianne Thompson, representing both the Tea Party and Conservatives in Action, said they would announce the races they will target once qualifying ends Friday. The implication is they will choose races where one candidate has refused to sign the pledge.

The topic has gained momentum in the past week after Georgia Republicans, at their annual convention this past weekend, agreed to put the matter before voters in the July 31 primary.

William Perry, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, said a refusal to sign the pledge means you're against the idea.

"We’re hearing from a lot of representatives and a lot of senators and a lot of candidates about why they can’t sign on," Perry said. "We often hear that nobody signs on to anything until they read the bill. We’ve got that beat. It’s one sentence and it’s on every pledge form."

House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, said there are opportunities to strengthen the state's ethics laws but he remains steadfast that a cap is not the way to do it.

"I’m always open at looking at different ways of improving our law," Ralston told the AJC on Wednesday. "The really the fundamental difference I have with a few of the other people on this issue is I trust the people to give them information, full transparency and opens information and let them make a decision."

Ralston said that's preferable to "an arbitrary, unworkable line that, frankly, I think is a gimmick."

11:30 a.m.: Some incumbent lawmakers are now officially in a competitive primary.

In Senate District 18, incumbent Republican Cecil Staton of Macon will be challenged by Spencer Price. Price is a physician in Thomaston.

In Senate District 21, Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock will face Chamber of Commerce CEO Brandon Beach in July. Rogers has not yet qualified, but is expected to.

On the House side, Rep. Doug McKillip, R-Athens, will face Athens attorney Regina Quick in the Republican primary for District 117.

On the congressional front, incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson will face a primary challenge from 32-year-old Lincoln Nunnally of Porterdale, who listed his occupation as consultant. Republican U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey will face off with Michael Opitz of Marietta in the July 31 Republican primary.

Meanwhile, Democratic incumbent Sanford Bishop of Columbus picked up a November challenge from Republican Rick Allen of Columbus. Allen is president of a medical supply company.

10:14 a.m.: It appears the gremlins in the Secretary of State's system have been vanquished and candidates are now qualifying via 21st century methods. The lines in both chambers are moving more quickly. Still now word on a few of the major story lines we're watching, including whether former state Rep. Clay Cox, R-Lilburn, qualifies to run against Senate Rules Committee Chairman Don Balfour, R-Snellville.

Cox has been a rumored candidate for the 9th District and Tea Party Patriots organizer Debbie Dooley told the AJC on Tuesday that if Cox doesn't challenge Balfour, she will.

9:41 a.m. Under the heading of striking-while-it's-hot, a collection of government watchdog groups will hold a news conference at 10:45 here at the Capitol to announce their plan to challenge every candidate who qualifies for the General Assembly to sign a pledge promising to support a $100 cap on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers.

Common Cause Geoergia, the Georgia Tea Party Patriots and Georgia Conservatives in Action, will announce their plans in about an hour. The topic has gained momentum in the past week after Georgia Republicans, at their annual convention this past weekend, agreed to put the matter before voters in the July 31 primary.

The referendum, while non-binding, promises to become an issue in Republican primaries.

9:34 a.m.: As everyone waits for the Secretary of State's website to come back up, party officials have begun to qualify candidates the old fashioned way -- with pen and paper.

A spokesman for Brian Kemp, the secretary of state, wasn't immediately available to say when the site will be back up, but, meanwhile, the line is moving.

Among those already qualifying on the Republican side: incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, running for re-election in the new 14th District. Martha Zoller qualified to run in the new 9th congressional district where her likely opponent. On the Democratic side, where candidates are qualifying in the Senate chambers, a pair of incumbent congressmen were first up: U.S. Rep. David Scott signed up to run again in the 13th district and right behind him was U.S. Rep. John Lewis of the 5th.

9:21 a.m.: Well, we take that back. Qualifying hasn't officially begun because apparently the Secretary of State's website is down and not accepting the online registration. Everyone is just sort of milling around.

Original post: There are lines out the door of the Georgia House and Senate as lawmakers, judges, prosecutors and regulators -- as well as those who hope to be -- officially register for the 2012 elections.

We will bring you updates throughout the day, as well as Thursday and Friday -- right up until the process closes at noon Friday. For a full list of those who qualify, check out the Secretary of State's website: http://qual.sos.state.ga.us/qualifyingindex.asp. Secretary of State Brian Kemp has promised live, as-they-happen, updates.

First in line on the Republican side, who are qualifying in the House chamber, is Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, who just might have used his prerogative as leader of the chamber to go first. Not that anyone was going to complain. Right behind him were Sen. Judson Hill, R-Marietta, and Rep. Steve Davis, R-McDonough.

For details on what today means for all involved, check out the AJC's story from this morning: http://www.ajc.com/news/tea-party-power-to-1444207.html