A local attorney has announced he will seek the Republican nomination for the Missouri House District 96 seat currently held by Mike Leara, R-Concord.

David J. Gregory, who is also a businessman and south county native, is seeking the GOP nod for Leara’s seat.

“People are totally fed up with elected officials who ‘promise the world’ yet do nothing when they are elected except curry favor with lobbyists and collect a government paycheck until eligible for a government pension,” Gregory stated in a news release. “Missouri needs more energetic and committed Republican legislators who will deliver on their promises. We need more legislators with the skills necessary to implement effective budgeting and spending strategies …”

Gregory is treasurer of the Tesson Ferry Township Republican Club and a member of the club’s Executive Board. Under his watch, the club is experiencing one of its greatest periods of financial surplus.

Dan Reuter, an attorney and a longtime south county resident, previously announced he would seek the GOP nomination for Leara’s seat.

Leara, who first was elected to the House in 2008, is seeking the Republican nod for the 15th District Missouri Senate seat held by Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale. Schmitt will be term-limited out of office and is planning his own 2016 run for state treasurer.