Veteran Concord Township Republican Committeeman Mike Leara intends to succeed Rep. Jim Avery, R-Crestwood, who currently represents the 95th District in the Missouri House.

Leara has served as Concord Township Republican committeeman since 2003 and was re-elected in August 2004. During his tenure, he also has served as treasurer and finance chairman of the Republican Central Committee of St. Louis County for the last three years. He also is a past president of the Concord Township Republicans.

Leara is the owner of a financial planning firm. Married with four children, he resides in Concord Village.

He announced his intention to run for the 95th Legislative District in a letter to family and friends. He has formed a candidate committee and hired a professional fund-raiser to help run his campaign.

“I have decided to run for the office of state representative from the 95th Legislative District if Rep. Avery decides to vacate his office to run for the Missouri Senate,” Leara stated in his letter. “To some, this may seem a tad premature. But I strongly believe that given the political climate that exists right now, we must be prepared to begin an aggressive campaign if and when Rep. Avery decides to seek higher office.”

Leara’s letter also stated, “These are trying times to be a Re-publican. But despite the unease caused by the war in Iraq, we must regain the momentum that led to Republicans winning a majority in first the United States Congress and then in the Missouri General Assembly. Much work remains to be done … and the stakes have never been higher.

“Sen. Mike Gibbons recently stated that he was committing himself to fighting for property tax reform in the upcoming legislative session that begins this January. As a true conservative, I applaud Sen. Gibbons’ willingness to take on such an important issue, and if I am elected I will fight as a member of the Missouri House to make this important reform a reality.”

“By working together and planning now for whatever decision Rep. Avery may make regarding his political career, we will be prepared to continue his good work in the Missouri House, and, most importantly, we will be prepared to keep this district in the Republican column in 2008 and beyond,” Leara stated in his letter.