Irwin Lee Potter
{{Short description|American politician (1909–1983)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|10|5}}
| birth_place = Tower City, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_place = Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1983|2|21|1909|10|5}}
| children = 1
| spouse = Dulcie Horner
| alma_mater = Southeastern University
| term_start = July 21, 1956
| term_end = April 13, 1962
| office = Chair of the Virginia Republican Party
| predecessor = S. Floyd Landreth
| successor = Horace E. Henderson
| party = Republican
}}
Irwin Lee Potter (October 5, 1909 – February 21, 1983) was an American politician from Virginia who served as Chairman of the Virginia Republican Party from 1956 to 1962.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-26 |title=I. Lee Potter, 73, Dies |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1983/02/25/i-lee-potter-73-dies/4956df43-d00c-421b-ae78-0568be39dbd1/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}
Early life
Potter was born on October 5, 1909, in Tower City, Pennsylvania,{{Cite news |date=1960-04-17 |title=I. Lee Potter To Be ‘Get Out Vote’ Speaker |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-leader-i-lee-potter-to-b/142114690/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=The Daily News Leader |pages=1}} the son of H. Stewart and Emma W. Potter. He was reared in Northern Virginia. He attended school at Southeastern University where he received his degree in accounting and business administration.
Political career
Potter served as Arlington County Republican Chairman from 1948 to 1950.{{Cite news |date=1964-06-17 |title=Republican Dinner Here To Feature I. Lee Potter |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-virginian-republican-dinner-her/140011012/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=The News-Virginian |pages=1}} In 1949, he was a candidate for the Virginia General Assembly. In 1952 and 1954, he served as campaign manager for Joel Broyhill. He was elected state chairman on July 21, 1956, defeating Lester S. Parsons.{{Cite news |date=1956-07-22 |title=Virginia GOP Protests States’ Rights Invasion |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/richmond-times-dispatch-virginia-gop-pro/142121307/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |pages=1}}{{Cite news |date=1956-07-24 |title=New Leadership for Virginia GOP |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times-new-leadership-for-vir/142121506/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=The Roanoke Times |pages=6}} On July 1, 1957, he was appointed by chair of the Republican National Committee, Meade Alcorn, as director of "Operation Dixie" in an effort to build the Republican Party in the South. He resigned as state chair on April 13, 1962.{{Cite news |date=1962-04-13 |title=State GOP Chairman Resigns Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/ledger-star-state-gop-chairman-resigns-p/142122125/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=Ledger-Star |pages=25}}
Personal life
He was married to his wife, Dulcie Horner.{{Cite news |date=1956-08-13 |title=Potter Would Have GOP In Control of State by ’57 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-virginian-pilot-potter-would-have-go/142125962/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=The Virginian-Pilot |pages=5}} They had one son, Alan Lee Potter. He died on February 21, 1983, aged 73 due to a ruptured aorta in Arlington, Virginia.