Chip Forrester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
November 9, 1954
Chip Forrester | |
|---|---|
| Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party | |
| In office January 24th, 2009 – January 23rd, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Gray Sasser |
| Succeeded by | Roy Herron |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eugene Priest Forrester, II November 9, 1954 Fort Benning, Georgia, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
|
| Education | University of Chicago (BA) |
Chip Forrester (born November 9, 1954) is an American political operative, prolific Democratic fundraiser, and former chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party. He served on the Tennessee Democratic Party's executive committee from 1988 until 2009 when he was elected chairman. He is the son of United States Army Lieutenant General Eugene Forrester.
Forrester was born in Fort Benning, Georgia. Due to his father's military service, Forrester and his family spent significant periods of time in Paris, France; London, England; and Manila, Philippines. He graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 1973.
Chip earned a bachelor's degree in Politics, Economics, Rhetoric & Law from the University of Chicago in 1977. His grandfather Percy Wagner, a prominent Chicago real estate developer and banker, also earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in 1916. By Chip's third year, he became the news editor of The Chicago Maroon. He later founded the Chicago Journal in 1974 and spent significant time covering South Side politician Harold Washington, who later became Chicago's first black mayor.[1]
Early career
After graduating from the University of Chicago, Forrester served as campaign advisor to Harold Washington's Chicago mayoral campaign. Upon Washington's inauguration, Forrester was appointed to be the assistant director of the City of Chicago's Department of Economic Development. Forrester later moved to Nashville, Tennessee and was the deputy campaign manager for Ned McWherter on his 1986 gubernatorial campaign.
In 1990, Forrester managed Al Gore's senatorial campaign. He later served as Gore's state director in the United States Senate.[citation needed]
Tennessee Democratic Party
As chair, Forrester led the state party to the 2012 Democratic National Convention where he and actress Ashley Judd cast 91 votes for President Barack Obama during the ceremonial roll call.[2] He was a pledged PLEO Delegate at the 2012 Convention.
He received news coverage after calling on representative Scott DesJarlais to resign.[3][4]