Pro-Life (politician)

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Pro-Life
Personal details
Born Marvin Thomas Richardson
August 5, 1941 (1941-08-05) (age 82)
Carbon County, Wyoming
Political party Independent (2006-present)
Constitution Party (until 2006)
Spouse(s) Jean Benson (1964–1982)
Kirsten Faith Richardson (1982–present)
Children Fifteen[1][2]
Residence Letha, Idaho
Alma mater Brigham Young University
Occupation Organic farmer
Religion The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) (until 1998)[2]
Nondenominational Christianity (1998–present)
Website prolifeidaho.com

Pro-Life (born Marvin Thomas Richardson; August 5, 1941) is an Idaho politician and organic strawberry farmer known for his strong opposition to abortion, which inspired him to change his name.[3] He lives in the unincorporated community of Letha, Idaho.[4] He has made several unsuccessful runs for political office in Idaho and has been labeled a perennial candidate.[5] Having stated his intention to continue running for office until his death,[3][6] Pro-Life was most recently a candidate in the 2014 Idaho gubernatorial election.

Early life and career

Born Marvin Thomas Richardson, Pro-Life was born in Carbon County, Wyoming. He played basketball in high school and attended Brigham Young University on an athletic scholarship but was eventually cut from the varsity basketball team. He graduated from BYU in 1967 with a degree in political science after serving as an LDS missionary in Arizona, California, and Nevada.[2]

Pro-Life has worked as an organic farmer since 2002, mainly farming strawberries. He has previously worked as an accountant, a coal miner, and a salesman of irrigation equipment and Caterpillar parts.[2]

Political career

As Marvin Richardson, Pro-Life first ran for public office in 2004, when he challenged Republican Kathy Skippen for a seat in the Idaho House of Representatives. Skippen won 78% to 22%.[7]

Having legally changed his middle name to "Pro-Life" in 2004,[2] Richardson filed for the 2006 Idaho governor's race as Marvin Pro-Life Richardson.[3] The Idaho Secretary of State's office would not allow Richardson to appear on the ballot with his new middle name, although he could be listed as Marvin P. Richardson. Secretary of State Ben Ysursa said, "We've made it clear to him since March we were not going to put 'pro-life' on the ballot, and that's still our position. The ballot is not supposed to be a forum for political expression—it's supposed to be as neutral as it can be."[8] Richardson was invited to participate in the 2006 gubernatorial debate, but did not respond to his invitation in time.[9] Initially, Richardson was the Constitution Party's candidate in the 2006 gubernatorial election,[10] but the Constitution Party of Idaho disavowed him. That year, he had his name changed to simply "Pro-Life," but still appeared as Marvin Richardson on the ballot.[8] In the election, he received 1.62 percent of the vote, behind Democrat Jerry Brady and the winner, Republican Butch Otter.[11]

In 2008, Pro-Life ran as an independent for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Larry Craig. That year, he was allowed to appear on the ballot as "Pro-Life." The executive director of an Idaho pro-life group expressed concern that voters would mistake Pro-Life's name on the ballot for a position rather than a candidate.[12] Such fears led to a qualifier next to Pro-Life's name on the ballot: "(A person, formerly known as Marvin Richardson)".[13] He has appeared thus on all subsequent Idaho ballots. He received 1.34 percent of the votes in the race, behind Libertarian Kent Marmon, independent Rex Rammell, Democrat Larry LaRocco, and the winner, Republican Jim Risch.[14]

In 2010, Pro-Life ran for governor for a second time.[15] He came in fifth in the race, behind Libertarian Ted Dunlap, independent Jana Kemp, Democrat Keith Allred, and the winner, Republican Butch Otter.[16]

Pro-Life was a candidate for Idaho's 1st congressional district in the United States Congress in 2012.[17] He ran against incumbent Republican Raúl Labrador and Democrat Jimmy Farris. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Pro-Life's 2012 campaign was entirely self-financed.[18] The incumbent won the race.[19]

He ran a third campaign for Governor of Idaho in the 2014 gubernatorial election.[6][20]

He is running for the Senate again in 2016.[21][22]

Political views

Pro-Life believes that abortion is murder, and supports charging doctors who perform abortions with murder.[12]

He opposed the Troubled Asset Relief Program as a candidate in 2008, citing concerns that its implementation would result in "a total fascist dictatorship run by the bankers."[23] He opposes war undertaken without a declaration of war by Congress.[17] He also opposes public education, which he considers to be communist.[3] After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, he suggested allowing Idaho sheriffs to organize groups of armed volunteers to protect schools.[6]

Personal life

Pro-Life is a vegetarian.[3] As Marvin Richardson, he married Jean Benson in 1964, but they divorced in 1982.[2] He has been married to Kirsten Faith Richardson since 1982. In 2006, she ran for the Idaho House of Representatives as the Constitution Party nominee against Republican Steven Thayn, receiving 3,026 votes (24.56%).[24] Pro-Life encouraged her to run for this position, despite their conviction that women should not work outside the home.[25]

Formerly a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pro-Life left the church in 1998, as the church does not ascribe personhood to the unborn.[2]

Electoral history

Idaho House of Representatives, District 11: Results 2004[7]
Year Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
2004 Kathy Skippen 11,216 77.9% Marvin Richardson Constitution 3,189 22.1%
Idaho Governor: Results 2006–2010[11][16]
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
2006 Jerry Brady 198,845 44.11% Butch Otter 237,437 52.67% Marvin Richardson Constitution 7,309 1.62% Steve Gothard Libertarian 7,241 1.61%
2010 Keith G. Allred 148,680 32.9% Butch Otter 267,483 59.1% Jana Kemp Independent 26,655 5.9% Ted Dunlap Libertarian 5,867 1.3% Pro-Life Independent 3,850 0.85%
2014 A.J. Balukoff 169,556 38.55% Butch Otter 235,405 53.52% John Bujak Libertarian 17,884 4.07% Jill Humble Libertarian 8,801 2% Steve Pankey Constitution 5,219 1.19% Pro-Life Independent 2,870 0.65%
United States Senate for Idaho: Results 2008[14]
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
2008 Larry LaRocco 219,903 34.11% Jim Risch 371,744 57.65% Rex Rammell Independent 34,510 5.35% Kent Marmon Libertarian 9,958 1.54% Pro-Life Independent 8,662 1.34%
Idaho's 1st congressional district: Results 2012[26]
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
2012 Jimmy Farris 97,436 30.8% Raúl Labrador 199,489 63% Rob Oates Libertarian 12,264 3.9% Pro-Life Independent 7,605 2.4%

See also

References

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Further reading

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External links

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