Dan Forest
| Dan Forest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina From: January 7, 2013 – present | |||
| Governor | Pat McCrory (2013 – 2017) Roy Cooper (2017 – present) | ||
| Predecessor | Walter Dalton | ||
| Successor | Incumbent (no successor) | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Republican | ||
| Spouse(s) | Alice Forest | ||
| Religion | Christian | ||
Dan Forest is an architect and the strongly conservative former lieutenant governor of North Carolina, having been elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. He lost the gubernatorial race in 2020 by the incumbent left-wing officeholder of the position, Roy Cooper.
Contents
Early life and education
Dan Forest was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. His mother was the conservative U.S. representative Sue Myrick who represented North Carolina's 9th district from 1995 to 2013. Forest graduated from the University of North Carolina, obtaining a bachelor's and master's degree in architecture. He was later a senior partner in Charlotte at an architectural firm.
Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina
2012 election
Despite not having previously held any political office, Forest ran for lieutenant governor in 2012, and won the general election over Democrat Linda Coleman by less than half of one percent of the vote.[1] Concurrent with Forest's election was the gubernatorial election that year, where Republican Pat McCrory won by over 10% of the votes casted.[2] It is important to note that under North Carolina law, gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial elections are separate. Forest was only the second Republican lieutenant governor in North Carolina since Reconstruction. The first GOP lieutenant governor was former U.S. Representative Jim Gardner, who served from 1989 to 1993.
2016 election
Facing Linda Coleman again in his re-election efforts, Forest handily won the lieutenant gubernatorial election by a greater margin of 6.6% of the vote this time, although Pat McCrory lost to leftist then-attorney general Roy Cooper by a margin of less than 1%.[3]
Tenure
H.B.2
After Governor Pat McCrory had signed H.B.2 into law to restrict public bathroom use to biological sex,[4] a nationwide left-wing outrage followed, with many liberal states such as California prohibiting state travel to North Carolina over the legislation.[5] Lt. Gov. Forest firmly supported the measure,[6] correctly pointing out that transgenderism is merely a feeling and not biological factuality.[7] However, despite opposition from Forest and many conservative Republicans,[8] H.B.2 was partially repealed on March 30, 2017, with the bathroom use restriction portion removed.[9] Forest had previously correctly pointed out on March 6, 2017 that despite the economic backlash following the bill, North Carolina's annual GDP had only fallen by 0.1%.[10]
Forest entered a dispute with the Governor Roy Cooper after the latter announced in mid-March 2020 that an executive order would be enacted to prohibit dining in at restaurants over the coronavirus outbreak.[11] Lt. Gov. Forest challenged the legality of Cooper's planned orders, asserting that the Council of State had not concurred with it, in addition to the fact that it would cause economic devastation.
2020 North Carolina gubernatorial election
Forest was defeated in his gubernatorial campaign, as Democrat Roy Cooper won a second term.[12] In the Republican primary, Forest easily defeated Holly Grange, a candidate reported in May 2019 to be backed by RINO Thom Tillis and the GOP establishment.[13] His campaign was endorsed by President Trump and Mark Meadows.[14][15] Also endorsing Forest are the Family Research Council, Grass Roots North Carolina, North Carolina Values Coalition, and the Susan B. Anthony List.[16]
Political positions
A thorough conservative, Forest is pro-life, pro-gun rights, and a proponent of school choice.[17]
See also
- Jenean Hampton, former lieutenant governor of Kentucky
References
- ↑ North Carolina Election 2012 Results
- ↑ 2012 Gubernatorial General Election Results
- ↑ North Carolina Election Results
- ↑ HB 2 - Requires Individuals to Use Bathroom of Biological Sex - North Carolina Key Vote
- ↑ California limits state travel to North Carolina over its ‘bathroom bill’
- ↑ NC Lt Gov Dan Forest Urges Lawmakers to Stand Firm on HB2
- ↑ 'Transgenderism' Is a 'Feeling,' Explains Dan Forest, Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina (Warning: Article uses foul language)
- ↑ Lt. Governor Dan Forest Opposes HB2 Repeal Efforts
- ↑ Multiple references:
- ↑ Dan Forest stated on March 6, 2017 in a press conference in Texas: Says HB2 has hurt North Carolina’s economy by "one-tenth of 1 percent of our annual GDP."
- ↑ Two references:
- ↑ North Carolina Local Elections
- ↑ Tillis & Co. Supporting 2020 Primary Challenger for Dan Forest?
- ↑ Shoutout from President Trump
- ↑ Forest isn’t officially running yet, but he’s earned a big endorsement for governor
- ↑ Dan Forest's Ratings and Endorsements
- ↑ Dan Forest on the Issues
External links
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