The ruling United Bermuda Party is set to launch a bid to make the crucial Warwick East seat a family affair, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

For Pauline Richards -- wife of already-adopted candidate E.T. (Bob) Richards -- is being touted as his running mate in the upcoming General Election.

And -- if both are elected -- they would be the first husband-and-wife team to serve in the House of Assembly together.

Yesterday, UBP insiders confirmed that Mrs. Richards was in the frame for the nomination.

One said: "They're already mates and they're used to working together in the same house.

"We're just considering making them running mates as well as the other kind and moving them to another House -- of Assembly. The insider added: "In some ways, it's a political marriage made in heaven. There are an awful lot of women voters in Bermuda and this might well be a winner.'' Mrs. Richards -- chief financial officer at insurance firm Aon -- said: "The idea has been bandied about.'' She added: "I will either be giving Bob all of my support and standing beside him or, if there is a need and the voters of Warwick East want a woman who can represent them, I will do that as well.'' But she denied the two could get involved in rivalry over votes -- or seats in Cabinet.

Mrs. Richards said: "We tend to work very well together -- I certainly don't look at it as rivalry.

"It's two people who are really interested in making a contribution.'' But she admitted the couple's two sons -- aged 20 and 16 -- were not keen to lose both parents to a life of politics.

Mrs. Richards laughed: "They weren't too thrilled with the idea -- they said `one of you in there is quite enough'.'' Sen. Richards -- who has a political pedigree as son of Bermuda's first black Premier -- could not be contacted for comment yesterday.

A shock move throwing Mrs. Richards into the fight with her husband would end speculation over who will join Sen. Richards in the battle for the tough marginal constituency.

The seat is currently split between ex-Government Minister Irving Pearman and the Progressive Labour Party's Dr. Ewart Brown.

Dr. Brown has already signed up a strong running mate in teacher and author Dale Butler.

The House of Assembly has had father-and-son teams and father-and-daughter duo Eugene and Paula Cox currently sit on the Opposition benches.

But the Island has yet to see a husband-and-wife combination take their place in the House.

The party, however, still appear to be hedging its bets -- for Sen. Larry Scott has also been included in the polling, understood to have been carried out earlier this week.

But -- in an area where local ties are considered important -- Somerset resident Sen. Scott is likely to be considered an outsider.

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