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Lynchburg-area Libertarians expect to nominate a candidate Saturday to challenge longtime Republican Del. Kathy Byron in the 22nd House of Delegates district.

About 15 to 20 Libertarians plan to nominate Michael C. Millner Jr., of Campbell County, a water restoration technician, in hopes of building the party locally and eventually rising from minor party status, according to Michael Sale, thethe local chapters president.

The candidate, though, said hes running because the district needs a choice other than the two-decade Republican incumbent.

You know, usually its a Democrat, and I think people in this area are more conservative, more small government, so I think there needs to be another option in a different direction, Millner said.

Byron first took the seat in 1998 and has won nine subsequent re-election campaigns, three of which were contested. Her last challenge came in 2013, when she defeated now-Lynchburg Democratic Committee Chairwoman Katie Webb Cyphert with 66 percent of the districts vote. The 1999 and 2001 contenders were a Democrat and Independent, respectively.

The district includes slivers of Lynchburg and Campbell County, a chunk of Bedford County and a piece of Franklin County.

Millner, 34, worked in his familys upholstery business and graduated from Rustburg High School in 2001, he said. He works at Servpro Industries restoring homes damaged by fire-triggered sprinkler systems.

After graduating from Miller-Motte Technical Colleges massage therapy program in 2005, he worked at the Central Virginia Chiropractic Center for two years, he said. He also has worked as a machinist, he said.

The Campbell County resident is married to Tina Millner and has three children.

One responsibility for a third-party candidate is communicating the partys ideals to people who know little about it.

Overall, just generally, it means reducing the size of government, Millner said, referring to Libertarianism. My end of it would be just do it slowly. At some point, maybe it would be too harmful. You could go too small.

Virginias alcohol should be sold by private businesses, rather than through the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Millner said, referring to Nelson County distiller Denver Rigglemans call for liquor deregulation during his recently discontinued gubernatorial campaign.

Education, too, could be fully privatized eventually, Millner said. In the current system, the government interferes far too much with teachers, he said.

While many Republicans talk about small government ideology, Millner said the party is inconsistent.

Republicans, they like to grow government in a certain direction, too. They like to put restrictions on people, Millner said. There shouldnt be a law that states who can use a public restroom.

The government should be completely out of marriage but should allow a legal agreement for any couple addressing finances and children.

Millner called himself a Christian without a home church that makes rounds at different ones.

Byron, R-Bedford County, told The News & Advance on Thursday she will announce a campaign kickoff after the primary filing deadline March 30.

Having already filed for reelection, I am looking forward to taking my record of accomplishment on workforce development, healthcare reform and accountability, and fiscal responsibility directly to the voters, Byron said in a text message Thursday.

Millner said hes been a Libertarian since I graduated high school, but the party hasnt had many candidates, one reason hes running.

The Lynchburg Libertarians hope the local candidate will help them grow their footprint, just after they expanded and rebranded the chapter as the Libertarian Party of South Central Virginia. The group plans to elect officers and nominate the candidate Saturday at the Hampton Inn in Gretna at noon.

Sale, the chapter president from Lynchburg, hopes Millners candidacy will help build the party in the region following national recognition received by Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson last year.

Wed like to run some smaller elections in the area. That way, we can learn the neighborhoods in the area. We want to keep our volunteers working, so they dont disappear, Sale said.

The group hopes to use the extended chapter, including reaching into nearby counties and down to Danville, as an apparatus through which local units can develop and eventually split off on their own.

Instead of them starting from scratch, we already have some type of organization in place, Sale said.

Those interested in joining the Libertarian Party are welcome to attend the Saturday meeting and convention, Sale said. While the party generally has a 30-day period between when someone registers with the party and when they may vote, that gap may be waived, Sale said.

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Libertarian to challenge Byron in 22nd House of Delegates district - Lynchburg News and Advance