Rep. Gary Wheaton (R-Seabrook) resigned recently after being charged for driving with a suspended license. Wheaton’s name has already been removed from the House roster. A special election will be scheduled to replace him.

Wheaton lost his license last year after being charged with driving while intoxicated and later pleading guilty to a reduced charge of reckless operation. He was pulled over this month for speeding while on his way to the State House and was charged with a violation-level offense of driving with a suspended license. The freshman legislator quickly offered his resignation to House Speaker William O’Brien.

Rep. Robert Huxley (R-Greenville) has also resigned for undisclosed reasons. Huxley, another freshman legislator, had not attended a single House vote in the current legislative session. 

The GOP regained a local seat, however, when Rep. Fred Leonard of Rochester, who had left the party in January and registered as an Independent, decided to return to the Republican caucus. 

Meanwhile, Rep. Marshall Quandt (R-Exeter) has been removed from the House Finance Committee after openly criticizing an anti-union measure in the state budget. Speaker O’Brien asked Quandt to step down from the committee after he voted against the budget bill and criticized a provision that would make union workers at-will employees after their current contracts expire.