Although candidates for state House Districts 25 and 26 have an eye on the prized General Assembly desk, they know the job is much more than sitting under Atlanta's Gold Dome.

A legislator's job requires a broad knowledge of the issues at hand to draft intelligent legislation, support or oppose suggested legislation and, most importantly, listen to voter concerns.

"It's a very demanding job. Some 50 years ago, we were set up as part-time citizen legislators, but that's not true any longer with all the issues we deal with," said Rep. Carl Rogers of Gainesville, who is seeking re-election for House District 26.

"The economy, water and transportation keeps you very busy, on top of that running a campaign and also answering constituents' questions. You're never bored because you never know where your next call will come from."

Sometimes being a legislator can feel like work as a family counselor or psychiatrist, Rogers said with a laugh.

"People have all different needs and concerns. A lot of times people just have concerns and want to vent," he said. "When you listen to people and try to give advice, sometimes they give you more than you give them."

If elected, Rogers' major focus for the upcoming legislative session is the same topic on many people's minds: the economy.

"Consumer confidence, jobs and that large increase in unemployment. Qualified people are out of work, and it's a major, major issue right now," he said. "It's going to take a little while to work out of this uncertainty, and the state budget woes hopefully have ceased. It's been positive the last four months, but it's going to take time, so the key right now is trying to keep a positive attitude."

With a focus on the economy, Rogers' Democratic opponent Chad Cobb hopes to help education, which pulled him into the race in the first place.

Cobb served as Parent-Teacher Organization president of Jones Elementary School when the Hall County school board decided to close the school due to budget cuts. Cobb argued against the decision during the monthslong discussion.

"Before the closing of Jones, a few people told me to consider running for office, and I wasn't sure. But when it all came out, I knew I could make a difference," he said. "When I talk to people, the majority think the education system has been butchered, and they think the same way I do that the budget problems and education problems will work themselves out in the long run, but we're in a hole and need to dig ourselves out rather than down more."

Cobb will push education reforms if elected, especially smaller class sizes.

"Smaller class sizes give better test scores, and it's a better all-around educational experience for our children. We're building huge elementary schools, and there's not going to be that one-on-one attention every day," he said.

"One of my daughters had 10 to 12 more students in her fifth grade class than in third grade, and she told me she didn't learn as much. When my daughter tells me something like that, somebody's got to fix it."

Cobb is also running "against the status quo."

"People are tired of the status quo, and they've seen the last eight, 10, 12 years going steadily downhill. The anti-incumbent feeling is growing, and Gainesville-Hall County needs a new choice," said Cobb, who professes to be a conservative Democrat.

"I will enjoy sitting behind that desk, but I will continue to talk to the people who elect me to make sure I am serving them the way they need to be served. That's why my cell phone, e-mail and Facebook are open to people 24/7."

Rep. James Mills, who is running for re-election in House District 25 in South Hall County, hopes to pass more policies that create jobs in the state.

"We need to continue to look at all the policy we have in place regarding economic development and help small businesses to have a thriving environment to operate in," he said. "Because of a bill we passed this past session, (King's Hawaiian bakery) came to Oakwood, bringing more than 100 jobs."

A stimulus package deal dictated how bond formulas could be issued in cities around Georgia. Mills helped to restructure the deal to help as many communities as possible.

"Some cities would get $15,000, which isn't enough to fund a large project, and they didn't have a small project to fund," he said. "Georgia was going to lose those bond allocations, so we said communities could give back to the state so the state could dole money out to communities that had projects shovel-ready."

During campaigning, Mills' Democratic challenger, Mike Parker, learned how important constituent services are as a politician.

"I wasn't prepared for talking to people and having them pay attention to me," he said with a laugh.

"I'm making my humble remarks about how we're making a mistake by running government like a business instead of a family farm, and people are looking at me like I've said something profound. I think it's common sense."

Instead of running government for profit, it should be run as an investment in the next generation, he said.

"My mother was born in a log cabin on a farm. If I walked onto her farm and inherited it, is it my responsibility to sit back and take it in and use it up?" he said. "No. It's up to me to keep doing what others did for me, which is nurture the land and prepare it for the next generation and teach them to accept those responsibilities."

Parker decided to run for office when the Flowery Branch City Council annexed property near his subdivision for industrial use. He said he couldn't get clear answers from officials about why it happened and how many residents they contacted before the annexation.

"I supported Chris Strickland to run again against Mills. I thought he was impressive and liked his ideas, and when he wouldn't run, I decided to take it up," he said.

"A lot of people have said they respect my courage, and I tell them I've sometimes wondered what I'm getting myself into. I've questioned my sanity a few times."

Parker, a mortgage loan officer, says he sees firsthand each day how foreclosures affect families, so he plans to focus on banking, fees and foreclosures if he makes it to the legislature.

"The responsibility, even as a candidate, should be staggering to people. If I get behind a desk, the pressure will be greater and the ability to change things will be a lot greater," Parker said.

"It's a collaborative effort in the legislature, but you still need to get things done. I'm not sure what my status as a freshman Democratic member would be in terms of change, but I can be a pain in the neck, so that's what I'll do."