courtesy of Lisa Quigley, Reinhardt campaign

Gary Reinhardt announced his intention to run as an Independent for the House of Delegates seat in the 65th district on Sunday, May 24. The 65th House District includes much of western Chesterfield, Midlothian and the county of Powhatan. All 100 Delegate seats across Virginia will be up for election on November 3.

Reinhardt made his formal announcement during the Brookstone neighborhood’s annual Memorial Day Celebration. Reinhardt lives with his wife, Tammy, and their two children, in the subdivision. He is a partner with the Chesterfield law firm of Kalbaugh, Pfund & Messersmith, PC.  His practice focuses on insurance defense, coverage and insurance fraud investigation.

In a statement from Reinhardt: “I am a Virginia native and first came to the Richmond area 23 years ago. My first job in Midlothian was as a waiter in the lounge at Briarwood (now ACAC) in 1988. The following summer, I worked in The Village of Midlothian for my brother, Dr. Stephen Reinhardt.

After law school, I worked at a Midlothian law firm until 1996.  In April 1996, I joined the Chesterfield law firm of Kalbaugh, Pfund & Messersmith and I am a partner there.  Our main office is in Moorefield Park.

I have lived in the area since 1991, first in the Ramsgate subdivision and now Brookstone, near the Powhatan-Chesterfield County line.  This is a great place to raise a family.

My wife, Tammy, is a distance runner and has completed two half marathons to date.  She spends a great deal of time volunteering at Bettie Weaver Elementary.  She has held several PTA Board and committee chair positions there.  She recently completed volunteer training for Camp Comfort, a bereavement camp for children and young adults. Also, she was Superintendent of Church School at St. Matthias Episcopal in Midlothian for five years and she continues to teach Sunday School there.

We have two children, Claudia, 11 and Alex, 8. Both attend Bettie Weaver Elementary, though Claudia will be moving on to Robious Middle next year. 

I coach baseball in Huguenot Little League, something I have done since 2005.  Besides coaching his regular team, I am an assistant coach for Huguenot’s 8U travel team, the Trailblazers.  Coaching Upward basketball fills the time between fall and spring baseball.

Education is the fundamental issue that will ensure our children’s and our communities’ success as we move forward. It’s also the issue that requires consistent support and innovative strategies from our elected officials…more so today than any time in recent memory.

And as a parent, the safety of children is always a concern. I often wonder why Virginia legislators mandated that a school bus driver wear a seat belt yet the driver’s passengers do not have seat belts to wear.  There is a huge disconnect between requiring bus drivers to buckle up but not our children.

As an attorney, I often assist in the investigation of insurance fraud.  I witness the frustration of insurance investigators and law enforcement that arises from the vagueness of Virginia’s statutes dealing with insurance fraud.  Insurance fraud costs each Virginia household an average of $1000 per year.  Not only is strengthening fraud laws the right thing to do, it’s also the prudent thing in these economic conditions.

I’m running for the 65th House district seat as an Independent because I’ve never accepted the straight line party platforms that only provide for a narrow view. Unfortunately, strict adherence to a philosophy often trumps common sense. I’ve heard good ideas from both parties and I strongly believe that nothing should prevent an elected representative from promoting an idea that is good for the people, regardless of its source.”