Reminds me of toadflax, Nuttallanthus canadensis, but that's an annual and should be easy to pull out by hand.

Here is a link that might be useful: info here

The close up shows it isn't Nuttalanthus - but I have no idea what it is. The close up:

{{gwi:223390}}

theresa, whereabouts is this plant located?

I am from Atlanta, GA. Yeah I thought is is Nuttallanthus canadensis too but the flower up close isn't the same.

Well, plus the root isn't right - it's very substantial. Only 4 petals ... I was thinking campanula, but that has five ....

man this one is very stubborn. The root is like dandelion's but not that deep, If I hand pull them the root won't come up. I have the dandelion digger but there's lots and lots of these in my lawn. I notice that me and my other two neighbors also have this kind of weed, but not everyone in the neighborhood. This weed is not very common in my area... so any idea why that is? I hand pull them 2 weeks ago and now look at how fast they've grown back!!

I'm pretty sure that is Campanula, the fifth flower petal in the close-up is folded down.

yea this one has 5 petals , the fifth one is folded down. Sorry. However the leaves don't look like Campanula.

Wahlenbergia marginata?

Here is a link that might be useful: Wahlenbergia marginata

My first thought was the Australian Bluebell, Wahlenbergia stricta, a plant I actively encourage both in my lawn and beds. I am glad to say it is far from being an invasive weed here.
So, for what it's worth, I would back the suggestion of Wahlenbergia, but as to which spp., that I will leave to others more knowledgeable than me.

Fof

That sure does look like it - and it is in the same family as Campanula.

wow thanks a million everyone!!! It sure is Wahlenbergia marginata (southern rockbell? ) !! Now, any ideas how to control this stubborn one?

Did you ever find something that worked for controlling it?