- Michael Forbes
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Michael Forbes Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 1st districtIn office
January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001Preceded by George J. Hochbrueckner Succeeded by Felix Grucci Personal details Born July 16, 1952
Riverhead, New YorkPolitical party Republican (until July 17, 1999)
Democratic (since July 17, 1999)Religion Roman Catholic Michael Patrick Forbes (b. July 16, 1952, Riverhead, New York) is a politician from the state of New York.
Contents
Early life and career
Michael Patrick Forbes was born on 16 July 1952 in Riverhead, New York. Forbes graduated from the SUNY Albany. Forbes worked as an assistant for Republicans U.S. Sen. Al D'Amato and U.S. Rep. Connie Mack. Forbes was also heavily involved with Camp Agawam of Raymond, Maine.
Congress
In 1994, Forbes ran for the House of Representatives as a Republican. He defeated incumbent George Hochbrueckner by six percentage points. Forbes got a seat on the powerful Appropriations committee, unusual for a freshman representative, due to his ties with new House Speaker Newt Gingrich. In December 1996, Forbes announced he wasn't going to vote for Gingrich for speaker. Forbes voted for Rep. Jim Leach instead. Forbes supported the Clinton impeachment.
Party switch
On July 17, 1999, Forbes switched to the Democratic Party. Forbes was promised financial support from House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt and Bill Clinton.
Forbes became a target for the Republican party and Democrats who had run against Forbes had become hostile to him. Forbes' only opponent was a 71-year-old librarian, Regina Seltzer. Seltzer won a court ruling halting state Democratic Party ads for Forbes.
Lost primary
In the primary election, Seltzer won the primary election by 35 votes. Seltzer was defeated by Republican Felix Grucci, who was then defeated in 2002 by Democrat Tim Bishop, who remains the incumbent. Forbes is married to Barbara Forbes and has four children: Sam, Max, Ted, and Abby.
Later career
In recent years Forbes has worked in public relations, opening his own firm. He also has blogged for the Huffington Post [1]
External links
Biographies
- Michael Forbes at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Michael P. Forbes Biography at jhu.edu
Party switch
Lost primary
United States House of Representatives Preceded by
George J. HochbruecknerMember of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 1st congressional district
January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001Succeeded by
Felix GrucciCategories:- 1952 births
- Living people
- People from Riverhead (town), New York
- American people of Irish descent
- New York Republicans
- New York Democrats
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from New York
- University at Albany, SUNY alumni
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