A state representative who once aspired to become Speaker of the House leaves for a position in state government. At the end of the legislation session, House Speaker Steve Gaw invited Representative Sam Leake of Center to join him at the dais. Leake accepted and reminded Gaw he once thought he would preside over the chamber. He told Gaw he found the speech he was going to give when elected Speaker while cleaning out his desk. The chamber broke out in laughter when he joked he decided to give it as his farewell address. Leake never became Speaker. Gaw became the choice to succeed former Speaker Bob Griffin after Leake’s nomination ran into trouble. Leake now serves as a member of the State Tax Commission. He told colleagues he has been proud to be a politician, calling it a noble profession. And he told them to be proud of the work they accomplished this year.
