In an open letter to his hometown newspaper, The Daily Post-Athenian, State Representative John Forgety (R-Athens) announced Friday he would not seek re-election in 2018:
To the citizens of the 23rd District of the Tennessee House of Representatives of McMinn and Monroe counties. After a great deal of prayer and consideration, Faye and I have decided that it would be best if I were to retire from the House of Representatives as of November 2018. I will be finishing my fourth and current term of the 110th General Assembly, but will not be seeking re-election.
Serving the people of the 23rd District is truly an honor and a privilege. I am forever grateful that you have allowed me to serve four terms in this office. My experience in office is and has been a blessing to Faye and me. It is graphically obvious that the democracy and government of the people, by the people, and for the people truly works.
If I can be of service during my final year in office, do not hesitate to contact me.
May the good Lord hold you in the palm of his hand and bless you and keep you, and may he continue to shed his wondrous grace on the great State of Tennessee and the United States of America.
Before his election to office, Forgety, a Knoxville native, was a school administrator for four decades. He began his career in education as a high school teacher, eventually became a high school principal, and ultimately retired from education as a superintendent of schools. At the same time, he served in the Tennessee Army National Guard for twenty years and deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005.
In 2011, he ran to replace Mike Bell, who was running a successful campaign for the state Senate. Fogartey was elected to represent the people of the for the 23rd district in Tennessee’s House of Representatives, which covers all of McMinn County and parts of Monroe County.
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