Oddball Spotlight: Pro-Life Recruits His Wife

Today’s oddball in the spotlight is Pro-Life.

Yes, that’s the man’s name.

Marvin Richardson legally changed his name to “Pro-Life” after an Idaho court refused to allow him to be listed on the ballot with the label in a 2006 race for Governor as the Constitution Party candidate.  The Constitution Party of Idaho eventually tried to distance themselves from him and in the end, Richardson finished third, essentially tied with the Libertarian nominee for 1.6% of the vote.

In 2008, he appeared on the ballot for U.S. Senate as an independent with the name “Pro-Life” and polled 1.3% for fifth place behind the major party candidates, independent Rex Rammell (5.4%) and the Libertarian nominee, Kent Marmon (1.5%).

Pro-Life promises to continue to “put my name in for the top spot on the ballot every two years” as a protest against legalized abortion.  This year, more of the family is getting in on the act.  Pro-Life’s wife, the appropriately named Kirsten Faith Richardson is running for Idaho State Senate, District 11.

For anyone worried that Faith is neglecting Pro-Life’s needs at home, he’s quick to put those thoughts to rest.

“I, Pro-Life, asked my wife to run for office. She was very reluctant. We do not believe that women should be involved in things outside the home, unless there is a serious health, life, or liberty situation,” he says. “Kirsten spends very little time and money campaigning. She does not neglect her calling as wife, mother, or home-school teacher. Because of Kirsten’s involvement the voter is given a choice to vote for someone who honors God and the Constitution.”

I can almost guarantee you he’s the only candidate on the ballot this election cycle who shares both his birthday and the date that he was “fertilized” by his parents. (Seriously, he lists the date on his website…)

In fact, his whole biography is worth a read. He’s farmed strawberries, mined coal in an open pit, been a sportswriter, worked as an accountant and had 15 children.

How? Well, he’s had two wives to share the load. Unfortunately his first wife just couldn’t handle how courageous (crazy) Pro-Life was. He uses his campaign bio to take a final dig at her…

“1982- Divorced by Jean Benson because Pro-Life was too politically incorrect and that was embarrassing for a peer pressure oriented woman. Married Kirsten Faith Bjarnson in St George LDS Temple in November 1982. Kirsten has moral courage and ignores peer pressure. Pro-Life and Kirsten are very compatible and in love.”

If you want to find out more about Pro-Life, or Pro-Life’s wife, you can check out their website at ProLifeIdaho.com.

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Note to readers: When I initially began this series, I planned to do it as a weekly feature.  Not for lack of odd candidates, but just because of my own erratic schedule, I’ve decided to drop the words “of the week” from the title.  Instead, I will continue to occasionally spotlight these crazy and colorful characters — sometimes once a month, sometimes twice a week.  Whenever the mood strikes and an oddball pops onto my radar screen.