Greg Ford (North Carolina politician)
American educator and politician from North Carolina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greg Ford is an American educator and politician. He served on the Wake County Board of Commissioners from 2016 to 2020 and was the first openly LGBTQ elected official in Wake County, North Carolina.
Greg Ford | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners | |
| In office December 2, 2019 – December 7, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Jessica Holmes |
| Succeeded by | Matt Calabria |
| Vice Chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners[1] | |
| In office December 2, 2019 – December 7, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Jessica Holmes |
| Succeeded by | Matt Calabria |
| Member of the Wake County Board of Commissioners from the 6th district | |
| In office December 5, 2016 – December 7, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Betty Lou Ward |
| Succeeded by | Shinica Thomas |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Educator, Politician |
| Website | gregford.com |
Career
Education
Ford worked as a teacher and principal at elementary and middle schools in the Wake County Public School System.[2]
Politics
Ford is a member of the Democratic Party and describes himself as a "progressive".[2][3] He was elected to the Wake County Board of Commissioners in 2016, becoming the first openly LGBTQ person to hold elected office in Wake County.[4] He served as chair of the commission.[3] He ran for reelection in 2020 but later withdrew in order to move to California with his family.[4]
In 2019, Ford and his 8-year-old daughter were the victim of glitter bomb prank, sent anonymously to their house via the website RuinDays.com. [5] Inside the package was a note that said, "Glitter is the herpes of the craft world. Good luck getting rid of it like your bad decisions."[6] The package was sent to the district attorney's office, but no investigation was opened.[5]
Electoral history
2018
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Greg Ford (incumbent) | 262,240 | 61.58% | |
| Republican | David Blackwelder | 163,601 | 38.42% | |
| Total votes | 425,841 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2016
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Greg Ford | 277,142 | 56.17% | |
| Republican | John Odom | 216,272 | 43.83% | |
| Total votes | 493,414 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Personal life
Ford's husband, Anthony Pugliese, served as chief operating officer for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and as the chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce and the chair of the Durham Chamber of Commerce. Pugliese is currently president and CEO of the Institute of Internal Auditors.[2] They have three children; Jonathan, Brooke, and Chloe.[2]