News Release

Gordon Helsel announces candidacy for Delegate

Poquoson Mayor to seek Republican nomination for 91^st District Seat

Poquoson, Virginia, January 6, 2011: Poquoson Mayor Gordon C. Helsel, Jr. today announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Delegate in the 91^st District. A special election will be held on March 8 to fill the vacancy created by the December 30, 2010, resignation of Delegate Thomas D. Gear (R-Hampton).

“The people of Hampton, Poquoson and York are entitled to have an experienced and effective voice working for them in Richmond,” declared Helsel. “I am currently serving my twenty-seventh year on Poquoson City Council and my fifteenth as Mayor. With a strong track record of results for the people of Poquoson and the Peninsula, I have the experience to serve as an effective conservative voice from day one.

“As the retired owner of a manufacturing firm, I know that the pressures on businesses large and small are greater now than at any point in my lifetime. They are being forced to deal with misguided ideas like Obamacare, or energy policies that increase costs and discourage domestic production. Job creation will never come from government taxing more, spending more, or regulating more. A strong economy is built upon the foundation of a private sector that is thriving, creating jobs and improving the quality of life for everyone. As Delegate, I will bring my professional experience to Richmond to advocate on behalf of our businesses, enabling them to expand our economy and increase opportunity for all.

“For the people of Hampton Roads, transportation has been an overarching issue for decades. The people of our region have repeatedly made it clear that transportation solutions should come from new thinking and not new taxes. Like Governor McDonnell, I advocate an ‘all of the above’ approach to employing transportation solutions. Whether it is requiring performance accountability from VDOT, an increased utilization of the Public-Private Transportation Act, or encouraging the expanded use of telework, Virginia must embrace a comprehensive approach to alleviating congestion on our roadways.

“As a local elected official for nearly three decades, I can attest first-hand to the encroachment of Washington and Richmond on decisions made by local governments. Unfunded mandates increase the cost and expand the size of government at every level, discouraging innovative solutions by employing a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. As Delegate, I will work both to reduce unfunded mandates and to prevent new ones from being enacted.

“With my candidacy, I offer my friends, neighbors throughout the 91^st District the opportunity to elect a principled, conservative Delegate with the experience to hit the ground running in Richmond. They can count on me to fight against higher taxes and the further expansion of government. They can count on me to stand up for our job-creating businesses and against onerous regulation. They can count on me to support our traditional values and to protect life.

“I have spent my lifetime in Hampton Roads. Here, I’ve been a student, a soldier, a manufacturer, a volunteer fireman and an elected public official. And here, I’ve been a son, a husband, a father and a grandfather. These roles and the lifetime of experience they have brought, have prepared me to be an effective Delegate for the people of Hampton, Poquoson and York. I ask for their support, first in the Republican Canvass on January 18, and then in the election on March 8.”

Gordon C. Helsel, Jr. was first elected to Poquoson City Council in 1982. He served as Vice Mayor from 1990 to 1994. He was first elected Mayor of Poquoson in 1996.