Biography

Mike's Roots

Mike Stewart, 43, was born in 1965 to parents John and Nancy Stewart, who live in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike's father, John, served in a variety of public interest positions, including Communications Director for the Democratic National Committee, and retired from the Tennessee Valley Authority. His mother, Nancy, served as a school administrator and volunteered for many years for organizations committed to progressive causes and effective government. Mike has one sister, Cara, 40, who is an elementary school teacher in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike graduated from high school in Knoxville in 1983 and attended the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1987.

Military Service

Mike qualified for a full ROTC scholarship in his sophomore year and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army immediately following college graduation. Mike served in Korea in 1988-89, and was selected to lead a platoon manning four radar sites along the Demilitarized Zone. In Korea, Mike was awarded the Eighth Army Distinguished Leader Award. Following Mike's tour in Korea, he was stationed with a training unit at Fort Devens, Mass., until volunteering for duty in Operation Desert Storm. Mike served with the First Cavalry Division in Saudi Arabia and Iraq and then returned to Fort Devens for the remainder of his active duty.

Legal Career

Mike completed his service with the U.S. Army in August, 1991, and entered the University of Tennessee Law School in Knoxville. Mike was on the Tennessee Law Review, the National Moot Court Team, graduated, cum laude, in 1994. Mike became an associate attorney with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis that same year and was named a partner 2001.

Mike's Family

Mike met his wife, Ruth, who was a medical resident at UT, and the two married in 1994. Their eldest son, Will, 12, was born the following year and attends public school in East Nashville. Ruth started her career at the Cayce Medical Dental Clinic in the Cayce Homes housing project and then joined a family practice operated by Vanderbilt University. She is now on the faculty of Meharry Medical College and retains privileges with Vanderbilt. In 2005, Ruth and Mike adopted their son, Joseph, who is now 3. Ruth then became pregnant with Eve, now 2, who was born in February 2006.

Dedication to District 52

Ruth and Mike bought their first home in Lockeland Springs in 1994. In 1996, Mike ran for the 52nd District House seat for the first time against Bill Boner, a former Mayor and Congressman, losing by 537 votes. In 1998, Mike became president of the Lockeland Springs Neighborhood Association, and worked with other residents and volunteers to help the neighborhood rebuild after the 1998 tornado.

Dedication as a Democrat

Mike grew up in a family of politically active Democrats and has been involved in Democratic politics for his entire life. In college, Mike was elected to serve as a Democratic Party Committeeperson. He volunteered in many campaigns, and worked for every Democratic presidential candidate (except Mike Dukakis, who ran while Mike was stationed in Korea) since he was of voting age. In recent years, Mike traveled to Iowa to work for Al Gore during the 2000 caucuses, and worked a poll for John Kerry in Tampa in 2004 as part of a group of lawyer volunteers sent to prevent a repeat of vote count issues from the previous presidential election in Florida. In the mid '90s, Mike was one of the organizers of a Democrats' lunch club called "Downtown Democrats." In non-partisan races, Mike volunteered early for the campaigns of Nashville's prior Mayor, Bill Purcell and current Mayor, Karl Dean. Mike also served as treasurer of Mayor Purcell's campaign committee.