By Todd Jackson

Archives Reprint

    Former Roanoke City Council candidate Don Hogan announced a bid for Congress as a Libertarian on Friday and immediately took aim at incumbent U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, one of Washington's most influential Republicans.

    Two years ago, Goodlatte, also of Roanoke, announced he would not honor a self-imposed term limit and would continue to run for re-election.

    "He broke his word," Hogan said. "Mr. Goodlatte didn't ask me what I thought. Did he ask you? Did he ask anybody?"

    Hogan said Goodlatte's behavior is reflective of entrenched politicians in both the Republican and Democratic parties who believe they are unbeatable and then begin to ignore what's best for average citizens.

    "There's no difference in either party," he said. "Both lie. Both overtax, overspend and over-regulate."

    Hogan is a former Republican who ran as a party nominee in the 2000 city council race. He later dropped out after acknowledging that he had a 1994 misdemeanor embezzlement conviction. Hogan talked openly about the situation and blamed city GOP leaders for forcing him from the race.

    Hogan, 51, said the charge stemmed from a job he had as a local agent for a life insurance company. He said he shifted funds from one account to another to keep them active. He said he never took money for his own use.

    Hogan, a former professional wrestler who now owns a Roanoke process-serving company, said at the time that he owed the public the truth. He also said he was done with the Republican Party.

    Now Hogan the Libertarian will try to unseat Goodlatte, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, who was recognized this week as legislator of the year by the Information Technology Industry Council.

    Hogan and Libertarian Party officials present at his Friday announcement were realistic about the task they face.

    At the very least, Hogan will offer voters a choice and will force Goodlatte to take public stands on important issues, said Jim Lark, former national Libertarian chairman.

    "It takes some guts to do this," said Lark, now a professor at the University of Virginia. "I think he understands it will be difficult to put together the numbers. But I also think he's going to have a message that will resonate with voters."

    Hogan said Friday that he will advocate the national Libertarian "fair" tax that would eliminate the current federal system and base individual tax amounts solely on a percentage of what someone buys.

    Hogan also said he will support the elimination of the federal government's power to take private property under eminent domain proceedings.

    "We can win this election," Hogan told a small group of supporters. "Don't think we can't."

    Hogan represents the first interparty competition Goodlatte has faced since 1998.

    Democrats in Goodlatte's 6th District are also trying to find a candidate.

    David Layman, the district's Democratic chairman, said Friday that party leaders have talked to several potential candidates and will talk to another next week.

    "We really hope we can find someone," he said. "This is something we've been working on for a long time."

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