Delegate Brandon Steele, a fiery lawmaker who represented the Beckley area, has resigned the office right away.
Steele submitted a letter today to the House clerk: “Please accept this letter as my official resignation from office representing the 42nd District in the West Virginia House of Delegates effective immediately.”
Steele, a Republican, has served in the House since 2018 and, from 2021 to 2022, became chairman of the House Government Organization. In 2022, he competed for the role of House Speaker but was defeated by the incumbent in that role, Roger Hanshaw.
He was in line to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee earlier this year, but was out after public disclosure of an incident before Christmas when Steele was under the effects of alcohol and armed with a rifle to confront a driver he perceived as a threat.
Steele told the Lootpress online publication that it has been “an honor and a privilege” to serve the people of Raleigh County in the House of Delegates for the past eight years.
“While I’m honored to represent them, I’ve had professional opportunities arise that would interfere with my service in the House of Delegates,” Steele told Lootpress.
“I will always cherish the time I have spent in the House and the good work I was able to do while there. God bless the people of Raleigh County and the state of West Virginia.”
Steele is a Marine Corps veteran who works as a lawyer.
He most recently won election to the House last year, so a year remains on the term.
To replace him for the legislative session that starts Jan. 14, the Raleigh County Republican Executive Committee will nominate three candidates to fill the vacancy. Gov. Patrick Morrisey will then appoint one of those nominees to serve the remainder of Steele’s term.
“I will say that Brandon has a lot of talent, and I’ve learned from my experiences and interactions with Brandon that he cares a lot about the state and certainly I wish him the best,” Morrisey said today on MetroNews Talkline.