Montgomery businessman Rick Barber said he couldn’t ask anyone to do something he wouldn’t be willing to do himself. So when he saw no other options for who he wanted to serve in Congress, he threw his name in the hat.

Barber will face other Republicans Stephanie Bell, Martha Roby and Beau McKinney in the June 1 primary election. The victor will run against Democrat incumbent Bobby Bright in November.

Barber, owner of a network engineering consultant firm and Dejano Billiards, started his company after he finished his duty as a Marine Corps Sergeant in 1999.

“Last year, I started to see the writing on the wall,” Barber said. “I wanted to get involved, so I started going to TEA Parties.”

And it was soon after Barber realized he wanted to see more out of Washington.

“I started realizing we didn’t have enough citizens in Congress, people who have experience,” Barber said. “I’ve run a business. I know how to balance a budget, hire the right people, fire the wrong ones — make tough decisions.”

That, coupled with his military experience, makes him the prime candidate, he said.

“We have people in this race who haven’t done these things. I’ve done these things,” Barber said.

Barber said his campaign platform can be summed up quite simply — limiting government control.

“The government’s gotten in the job of managing our rights,” he said. “Their job, of course, is to protect our rights.”

Barber said he has a record of fighting against the national health care bill and said he was the only congressional candidate to stand up to Bobby Bright at an event about the bill.

“I was the only candidate out on the frontlines fighting that in the last year,” he said.

If elected he said he would hope to eventually repeal the legislation.

Barber said the biggest issues facing the district are the economy and national security.

“We’ve got to get spending under control,” he said. “People want me to fight for smaller government.

“I’m the only candidate with real world experience. We need to spur jobs, and no one can help a small business owner better than a small business owner,” he said.