LUMBERTON — Gaston Layton Pridgen entered the May 4 primary on Friday as a Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives. The District 46 seat he is seeking is currently held by Douglas Y. Yongue of Laurinburg.

“I am a conservative Republican ...,’’ said Pridgen, who goes by “G.L.” “I believe conservatism is a must, not an option, for our elected officials. I believe every law abiding citizen has the right to own a gun to protect his family, his home and himself. In Raleigh, we need a new direction, the right direction, with new ideas to create jobs and lower taxes.”

A native of Robeson County, Pridgen graduated from Littlefield High School and attended classes at Robeson Community College. He started his career with Southern Bell Telephone Company and resided in Lumberton until he was drafted into the U.S Army. During his two years in the Army, he served as a communication specialist. He did a tour of duty in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for his service.

Pridgen returned to his job with Southern Bell, later BellSouth Telecommunications, where he worked until retirement. He started his own communications business in 1994 and ran that until 2009, when he started working with the Information Systems Department at Southeastern Regional Medical Center.

Pridgen and his wife, Wendy, have four children and six grandchildren. They attend Zion Hill Baptist Church.