Dan Besse

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on August 6, 2007 - 1:54pm.
Tags:

Office District Status
Lt. Governor Statewide Candidate
Party In Office Since Term Ends
Democrat
Level of Government  
 
Date of Birth Birthplace Now Lives In
December 28, 1954 Hickory, NC Winston-Salem, NC

Synopsis

The child of an a state government worker and an elementary school principal, Besse grew up in Hickory. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he became an attorney for private nonprofits. He ran unsuccessfully for the N.C. House in 1998. He was first elected to the Winston-Salem City Council in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. In office, he has worked on neighborhood safety, local transportation issues and greenways development. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 2008.

Trivia

He regularly runs marathons and ultramarathons.

Endorsements

Conservation Council of N.C., Progressive Democrats of N.C., Sierra Club of N.C., Winston Salem Journal, Yes Weekly

Biography

Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Kay House
Children

Dan Besse is a Winston-Salem City Councilman and a former candidate for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.

Early Life and Education

Daniel Vaughn Besse was born in Hickory on Dec. 28, 1954, to Jim and Peggy Besse. His father worked for the state Employment Security Commission; his mother was an elementary school principal.

He graduated from Hickory High School in 1973.

He earned a bachelor of arts in political science from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1977. He then earned a law degree from UNC Law School in 1980.

Family

He is married to Kay House, a retired attorney.

Professional Career

During law school, he was executive coordinator for the Conservation Council of North Carolina.

After graduating, he worked as co-director for the N.C. Public Interest Research Group.

From 1983 to 1993, he worked for Pamlico Sound Legal Services, a legal aid group based in New Bern. He served as a staff attorney and a special projects director on workplace health issues.

In 1993, he moved to Winston-Salem. Since then, he has done legal and contract work as a private attorney for the Conservation Council, Planned Parenthood and other nonprofits.

Political Career

Besse first registered as a Republican in 1972 and did not become a Democrat until 1993. In 1990, he donated to state Senate candidate Phil Walker, a Republican who lost to Beverly Perdue.

He's served on the state Democratic Executive Committee since 1995. 

He ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic nominee for the N.C. House in 1998, losing to incumbent Republican Lyons Gray.

Over the years, he's served on various state commissions, including the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (1985 to 1993) and the N.C. Environmental Management Commission (1993 to 2005).

He was first elected as a Democrat to the Winston-Salem City Council in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. In office, he has worked on neighborhood safety, local transportation issues and greenways development.

2008 Campaign

He is running for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.

He has been endorsed by the Progressive Democrats of North Carolina and the Conservation PAC.

In the Democratic primary, he faced Canton Mayor Pat Smathers, Raleigh attorney Hampton Dellinger and state Sen. Walter Dalton.

He came in fourth, with less than seven percent of the vote. 

Research and reporting by Ryan Teague Beckwith. 

Occupation

Attorney
Self-employed
 City Councilman
Winston-Salem



Community Involvement:
Not specified.

Contact Info

Email: coordinator@danbesse.org

Campaign office
P.O. Box 15346, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27113
336-722-1674



Education

bachelor of arts
UNC-Chapel Hill
Graduated: 1977		 juris doctorate
UNC-Chapel Hill
Graduated: 1980

Military

Not specified.

Links

http://danbesse.org


http://danbesse2008.org





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