Dan Forest

Dan Forest
Name	Dan Forest
Birth date	November 15, 1967
Birth place	Harrisonburg, Virginia
Residence	Charlotte, North Carolina
Occupation	Politician, Architect, Businessman
Office	34th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina
Term start	January 7, 2013
Term end	January 9, 2021
Party	Republican Party
Spouse	Alice Forest

Dan Forest Dan Forest is an American politician, architect, and businessman who served as the 34th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2021. He ran for Governor of North Carolina in 2020 and previously worked in the private sector in architecture and construction. Forest is affiliated with the Republican Party and has been involved with state and national conservative organizations.

Early life and education

Born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Forest grew up in a family with ties to Virginia and North Carolina. He attended High Point University for undergraduate studies before completing a professional degree in architecture at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. During his university years he participated in campus organizations and internships that connected him with regional design firms and professional networks including the American Institute of Architects.

Business and professional career

After graduation, Forest joined architectural and construction practices in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Research Triangle region. He co-founded and led a regional architecture firm that worked on residential and commercial projects across North Carolina and neighboring states. Forest's professional affiliations included membership in the American Institute of Architects and collaboration with development companies, contractors, and local planning departments in municipalities such as Charlotte, Wilmington, North Carolina, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Political career

Forest entered elective politics with a bid for statewide office and was elected Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina in 2012, taking office in January 2013. In that role he presided over the North Carolina Senate and served on boards and commissions linked to statewide economic development, workforce initiatives, and higher education governance structures like the UNC Board of Governors and state-level councils. He won reelection in 2016 and in 2020 was the Republican nominee for Governor of North Carolina, facing the incumbent Roy Cooper in a competitive general election.

Policies and political positions

Forest has articulated positions on taxation, workforce development, regulatory reform, and education policy tied to conservative platforms promoted by organizations including the Republican National Committee, Americans for Prosperity, and state-level think tanks. On healthcare he expressed skepticism of Affordable Care Act expansions and emphasized alternatives such as state-level reforms and market-based approaches. In education policy he supported school choice measures, charter school expansion, and vocational training partnerships with community colleges like Gaston College and the North Carolina Community College System. On energy, Forest supported measures favorable to the Natural Gas industry and state-level regulatory approaches that engaged utilities such as Duke Energy and the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

Electoral history

Forest was elected Lieutenant Governor in the 2012 North Carolina gubernatorial election cycle and reelected in 2016 during the election cycle that featured contests for United States Senate and U.S. House of Representatives seats from North Carolina's 13th congressional district and other districts. In 2020 he secured the Republican nomination for Governor of North Carolina after a competitive primary, facing opponents within the party before the general election against Roy Cooper. Across these races, Forest campaigned in key counties such as Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Wake County, North Carolina, and Guilford County, North Carolina and engaged with statewide party organizations including the North Carolina Republican Party.

Personal life and family

Forest is married to Alice Forest; the couple has four children and resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the son of parents who had professional and civic involvement in the Virginia and North Carolina regions, and he has participated in faith-based and civic organizations common among statewide officeholders, engaging with institutions such as local chambers of commerce, service groups, and regional philanthropic foundations.

Category:Lieutenant Governors of North Carolina Category:North Carolina Republicans Category:Architects from North Carolina