Dan Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dan Forest
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Forest in 2019
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| 34th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina | |
| In office January 7, 2013 – January 9, 2021 |
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| Governor | Pat McCrory Roy Cooper |
| Preceded by | Walter Dalton |
| Succeeded by | Mark Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 15, 1967 Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Alice Forest |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent | Sue Myrick (mother) |
| Education | University of North Carolina, Charlotte (BArch, MArch) |
Dan Forest (born October 15, 1967) is an American politician. He served as the 34th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2021. His mother, Sue Myrick, was also a politician. Before becoming Lieutenant Governor, Forest worked as an architect. In 2020, he ran for Governor of North Carolina but lost to Roy Cooper.
Contents
About Dan Forest
Early Life and School
Dan Forest was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. His mother, Sue Myrick, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. She represented the Charlotte area for many years.
Forest went to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He earned two degrees in architecture there. After college, he became a senior partner at an architecture company in Charlotte.
Becoming Lieutenant Governor
In 2012, Dan Forest ran for political office for the first time. He wanted to become the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. He won the Republican Party's nomination after a special second election.
In the main election in November 2012, Forest won by a very small number of votes. He defeated Linda Coleman, who was the Democratic candidate. He officially became Lieutenant Governor on January 7, 2013.
Forest ran for re-election in 2016. He won again, defeating Linda Coleman for a second time. His second term started on January 1, 2017.
What a Lieutenant Governor Does
As Lieutenant Governor, Dan Forest was the second-highest elected official in North Carolina. He also led the North Carolina Senate meetings. He was a member of the North Carolina Council of State, which is a group of top state leaders. In 2018, he became the leader of a national group for Republican Lieutenant Governors.
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Forest often shared his views on money matters and social issues. He supported a state law called H.B. 2. This law changed rules about public restrooms and other facilities. He also supported ideas for a "religious freedom" law. This type of law aims to protect people's religious beliefs. Forest also suggested replacing income tax with a "consumption tax." A consumption tax is paid when people buy goods and services.
Forest appeared with President Donald Trump at a rally in 2016. He showed his support for Trump. In 2018, he gave a speech where he talked about political issues like climate change and gun control. He said these issues were like a "religion" for some people. Some politicians disagreed with his comments. In 2019, he made another speech about different cultures in America. This comment also caused some discussion.
During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Forest disagreed with Governor Roy Cooper's decisions. He thought bars and restaurants should have more time to prepare for closures. He also wanted public places to reopen sooner. In June 2020, Forest sued Governor Cooper. He said the governor could not make certain rules without the Council of State's agreement. He later stopped the lawsuit after losing in court.
Running for Governor in 2020
In January 2019, Dan Forest announced he was thinking about running for governor. He wanted to challenge the current governor, Roy Cooper. In August 2019, he officially started his campaign. One of his main ideas was to expand a program that helps families pay for private schools. He wanted all North Carolina families to be able to get money for school vouchers, no matter their income.
Forest won the Republican nomination for governor in March 2020. He easily defeated another candidate, Holly Grange.
The election for governor in North Carolina happened during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. This meant the pandemic became a big topic in the campaign. Governor Cooper issued rules to control the virus, like closing businesses and asking people to stay home. Forest, however, suggested that the virus's dangers were not as big as some said. He also claimed that the flu had killed more people in North Carolina than the coronavirus, which was not correct. In September 2020, Forest said that if he became governor, he would immediately reopen all K-12 public schools for in-person learning. He also said he didn't think students needed to wear masks, saying there was no science to support it.
Forest's campaign said it gave almost $200,000 from its funds to help with COVID-19 relief. Forest also said that the virus rules were being used to harm churches. During the pandemic, Forest was seen meeting with people without wearing a mask. He said criticism about this was "ludicrous."
On November 3, 2020, Roy Cooper won the election, defeating Dan Forest. After his loss, some people thought Forest might run for a U.S. Senate seat in 2022, but he decided not to.
Images for kids
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Forest (far left) meeting with Governor Roy Cooper and President Donald Trump to discuss Hurricane Florence recovery efforts, 2018
See also
In Spanish: Dan Forest para niños
