Dan Forest, GOP candidate for NC Lieutenant Governor, visits New Hanover and Brunswick Counties

CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE DAN FOREST IS ON A 70-COUNTY TOUR ADVANCING THE IDEAS AND PROGRAMS HE INTENDS TO BRING TO THE OFFICE HE SEEKS. THE MAIN THRUST IS JOB CREATION AND BUSINESS GROWTH FOR THE STATE.

LT. GOV. CANDIDATE DAN FOREST

 By Verne Strickland / September 13, 2012

Dan Forest has got it all where endurance, commitment and focus are concerned.

To say that he “dropped by” the New Hanover County Republican Headquarters in Wilmington this week is to miss the big picture.

Forest is the GOP candidate for Lieutenant Governor in North Carolina, and is currently on a 70-county tour of the State – his third in this campaign cycle – advancing the ideas and programs he intends to bring to the office he seeks.

“We had a tour before the first primary, then with our second primary and talked about a broad range of issues,” he said. “This tour is more specific -- it’s more about economic development, job creation, business growth for the state – reaching business owners, development officials, and leaders of commerce, about their needs and concerns for the economy. This is what is needed to really spur growth in each county or region, and we think that is a role that executive leadership in government can take on.”

The spacious New Hanover Republican “Victory” office is located at Independence Mall on Oleander Drive, and casual visitors are surprised to see a political organization located among the clothing stores, doughnut shops, cable franchises, and the usual commercial businesses.

“We make everybody feel at home,” said Rhonda Amoroso, chairwoman of the New Hanover County Republican Party. “Most of those who stop by, though, are on a mission to pick up yard signs, bumper stickers, literature, and to volunteer to make phone calls, knock on doors, and write letters. It’s a busy place.”

Candidate Forest stayed for an hour or so, during which time he visited with staff and volunteers, and was interviewed by a television crew as well as political internet bloggers.

“We’ve been to a lot of Victory offices across the state, and this may be the most effective and attractive I’ve seen. It’s a unique risk to take, being in a mall, and there has been a lot of walk-in traffic, which is very interesting, the phone banks are full, and there are over a dozen volunteers out canvassing the neighborhoods,” he noted. 

 “This kind of personal contact with voters is good for the party. The wind is really at our backs, and we can’t take that for granted. We have to work hard and smart during these last few weeks leading up to the election. Everything is on the line for America, all the things that we hold so dear, and we want to avoid at all costs falling into a generation of Socialism for the country. It’s right here at the grassroots level where we make our stand to preserve the nation we love and move forward to a better future.”

Amoroso had high praise for conservative candidate Dan Forest: “He’s smart, trustworthy, likeable, committed, and has impeccable conservative credentials. We are very proud of him. He will do well in this important election.”

Dan Forest is the Republican nominee for the office of North Carolina Lt. Governor.  He earned the Republican nomination by winning a commanding 96 of 100 NC counties in the second (July 17th) primary election after traveling over 150,000 miles and visiting nearly all 100 counties during the campaign.  Dan is a leader in the business community having served as Office President and Senior Partner of the state's largest architectural firm. Dan is active in his community and church and is the founder and current president of the Triangle Leadership Forum and the former chairman of the board of Wake Forest Pregnancy Support Services.  Dan and his wife,Alice have Dan and his wife, Alice, reside in Raleigh, along with their four children, ages 7 - 19.