Candidate profile – Tom Gardner, 72nd District (Republican)

Richmond resident Tom Gardner is running for election to the House of Delegates to represent District 72.

Gardner, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat, is the founder of CFM Group, LLC and a bus driver for Henrico County Public Schools.

“I’m just a regular guy answering the call to serve that God has laid on my heart,” he wrote in an email statement to the Citizen. “I’m a constitutional conservative with libertarian leanings, [meaning] I believe strongly in limited government, lower taxes and regulations that foster economic growth in a responsible manner.”

He was motivated to run for District 72 because of problems he saw in the government, he wrote.

“Our current system is completely dysfunctional,” Gardner wrote. “I believe that a strong conservative majority from the governor’s house to the state house will give us the ability to lead the way in fixing our problems and provide a blueprint for other states to do the same.”

The first of Gardner’s three campaign pillars is a return to conservative leadership, he wrote.

The second is financial literacy and economic education, which Gardner believes is “the foundation to building a conservative philosophy and thereby voter base.”

The third pillar is faith-based drug and alcohol recovery programs.

“As a 34-plus-year sober recovering alcoholic and drug addict I can attest to the power of recovery,” Gardner wrote on his campaign website. “Having been through it I’m in a unique position to be able to minister to those who are still struggling. And to be a living example of how amazing life can be after your recovery.

“Part of my almost 10 years in the ministry enabled me to work with many people who were struggling with this issue.”

Gardner studied economics at Radford University and went into his family business of insurance and collection after graduating, according to his website. He also served as a youth adviser to Richmond high school students through an outreach ministry, according to his website.

Gardner is committed to bringing a focus on conservative values to District 72 if elected, he wrote on his website.

Incumbent Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, won the 72nd District seat in 2017, ending the R the district was held by Republican officeholders since 1990.

Gardner wrote that there are a number of areas where Democrats and Republicans may be able to work together if he was elected. He listed causes such as youth advocacy, environmental protection and stopping modern-day slavery caused by child sex trafficking as examples of possible bipartisan work.

However, he wrote that there may be problems making compromises across the aisle.

“We have got to get to a place where we can talk to each other again,” he wrote. “Conservativism will always guild my basic ideology, but compassion for my fellow citizens in the 72nd district, where I’ve spent the last 50 years, is what will dictate my actions in the House of Delegates.”