Libertarian takes on Womble

Richmond says he's running partly to help governor candidate

By: Wesley Young | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: October 12, 2008

Larry Womble has never faced a close count on his path to winning seven consecutive terms in the N.C. House.

And Libertarian candidate Bobby Richmond isn't naive about his chances of beating Womble. He says he's running in part to get out the message for Mike Munger, his party's candidate for governor.

Womble, a Democrat, said that hard work has been the key to his electoral success since he was first elected in 1994.

"I work hard in election years and nonelection years," Womble said. "If a person works hard and is dedicated and is visible and accessible, then I think that goes a long way in that person's quest to be an elected official."

Womble was unopposed in his first contest for the seat in 1994, when his district was known as the 66th. He ran unopposed in 1996, 1998 and 2006.

In his closest race, Womble got 66 percent of the vote in 2002, when Mac Weatherman became the first Republican to challenge him.

Libertarians were Womble's only challengers in 2000 and 2004, getting 13 percent to 15 percent of the vote. Richmond said he thinksthat he will benefit from being the only alternative to Womble, whom he describes as his "polar opposite" on nearly every issue.

"There isn't too much that he didn't vote for and not too much that I would vote for," Richmond said.

Womble, born in Winston-Salem, worked as a teacher for many years, and retired as an assistant principal. He represented the Southeast Ward of Winston-Salem from 1981 to 1993.

Womble said that affordable housing is one of his priorities, and that if people were better educated about home ownership they could avoid the pitfalls associated with the subprime-mortgage meltdown.

"No. 1 is providing a decent job with a decent return for your work," Womble said. "Then educate people about what the whole process (of home ownership) is about."

Womble wants to continue pursuing compensation for victims of a statewide forced-sterilization program that lasted from 1929 to 1974.

Richmond grew up in Raleigh and lived there until 2005, when he and his wife moved to Winston-Salem. He is finishing work on his MBA degree at Duke University while working as a systems analyst for BB&T here.

Richmond said he's a good friend of Munger's and wanted to do what he could to help Munger and the Libertarians.

"I had no aspirations for running but the party called me and asked me to run," he said. "I don't really have time to run a campaign, but I wanted to do what I can to get the message out about Mike.

Richmond said that there are six pieces of legislation he would introduce if elected: cutting gas taxes, putting in a school-voucher program, lowering the minimum wage, reducing the food tax, legalizing drugs and ending random police checkpoints.

He acknowledged that such ideas as legalizing drugs might not go over well, but said he hopes to convince people that it would be better than the current approach.

"A lot of people have loved ones in jail," he said. "Hopefully my constituents can see that spending a lot of money on fighting drugs hasn't reduced a lot of drug activity and just puts people in jail."

■ Wesley Young can be reached at 727-7369 or at wyoung@wsjournal.com.