Tom Gear Resigns

Bearing Drift has the news here.

There's got to be something else going on here- why would a Delegate resign right before the General Assembly session started?

Good luck to Delegate Gear with whatever is going on.

UPDATE:  WaPo has more.

Comments

[Lynn Larmore]

Delegate Gear has been a very strong voice for the 91st District for years. He has helped to keep government spending down and will sadly be missed. As a personal friend, I do know the struggles that him and his family have been going through. Please keep the Gears in your prayers.

[Larry Sabato's Hairpiece]

WaPo blog is updates with an interview with Gear. His MS has worsened and his wife and sister are battling cancer. He fell the day after Christmas and decided he could not continue.

[SE VA MWC Alum]

Tom Gear has legitmate health problems (MS) and his wife has had cancer. So this may be legit. However there may also be more going on here.

Gear had a printing business for many years (Gear Advertising Inc. traded as Gear Up Printing)
It closed in 04. Gear claimed he sold the business but his printing press had actually been repossessed. The sale didnt cover what he owed and his company (and he personally) was sued. Orix Leasing sued and is seeking somewhere in the neighborhood of $600,000 if memory is correct. It may have gone up due to interest. The case has been continued a couple of times and is on the docket for April sometime. Gear also has a history of paying city taxes late (personal and business).

Therefore it is plausible that the decision is due to nothing more than his health or that there is more to this.

[Gretchen Laskas]

MS and cancer is more than any family should have to bear. I wish the Gear family the very best.

[Willie Deutsch]

Sheesh guys you have a bad case of MS, and two people very close to you have cancer, isn't that enough of a reason to step down? Let's back off and wish for a recovery for his family. That much of a health problem is more than any family should have to bear.

[Ghost of RWR]

You have to remember that this is how Ben’s brain works when it comes to conservatives. He should apologize for even posing the idea that “something else is up”, but won’t.

Tom, best to you and your wife.

[Geoff]

Not that I don't feel for the guy, but from a political perspective, Gear ran unopposed in 2007 but only got 48% in '09 against an independent and a Dem, so perhaps the seat could change hands in the difficult-to-predict voting of a special election.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Geoff, Gear was an extremely weak incumbent for that area, another Republican will easily get 70% there.

[SE VA MWC Alum]

Its like the 2nd most conservative district in the state. The Hampton vote (55%) could go either way but leans R. The York and Poquoson parts are solid R. The only way a non R wins is if Gordon Helsel (Poq. mayor-fairly conservative) runs as an I in a 2 way race-even then its iffy. Would be delighted to have Helsel though-a true public servant.

[Lynn Larmore]

Chris Stuart is the clear choice for this seat. He is a Councilman for Hampton, a buisnessman, a family man and a true conservative.

[Lynn Larmore]

Gordon Helsel can only win poquoson - look at the numbers from '09.

[Lynn Larmore]

Is Helsel running?

[SE VA MWC Alum]

That was the split vote. Most of Eure's voters would have voted for him. Not saying he would have won in a two way race but it would have been competitive. Dont know if Helsel is running or not. Chris Stuart would be good as well, successful businessman, intelligent, good family man

[Ghost of Alexander Hamilton]

You heard it hear first:
Phil Hamilton will rise again in a more GOP friendly district.

[SE VA MWC Alum]

GoAH-unlikely. He'd lose his seniority and the way the speaker pulled the rug out from under him I doubt he'd get any support from there. I think Gordon Helsel or Chris Stuart are the most likely options but there may be any number of others looking at this

[Lynn Larmore]

I hear Helsel is ignoring all calls, don't think he's running. And Hamilton...ha ha!

Stuart's got this!

[JoSchmo5656]

Has it been confirmed that Chris Stuart is running for the seat? I think he would be a great choice to give voice for the people in the 91st district.

The Gear family should be in everyone's thoughts and prayers. They are going through a difficult time and the stress of another session wouldn't have helped anyone's help. Good luck to them.

[Lynn Larmore]

Yes - Stuart is definiatly running! There is a facebook page and a twitter account.

[Guy]

Chris Stuart is not a Republican.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMihIoSht28

[Steve Vaughan]

GoaH- don't think so, he zeroed out both his house of delegates account and leadership PACs last year. And there are questions about where some of the money in that leadership PAC went.

[change]

Sheeze, some are talking like the man pulled out of a race before the vote.
Sounds to me like he sincerely does not believe he is physically capable of handling the session after a recent escalation of issues; for which thoughts and prayers are needed.
It is unfortunate that he did not do it sooner so that his district might be represented during the session. But if it was a recent escalation, how can anyone find fault in his decision?