Morgan McGarvey
John Morgan McGarvey (born December 23, 1979) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Kentucky's 3rd congressional district since 2023. From 2013 to 2022, he represented the 19th district in the Kentucky Senate. In 2018, he was elected minority leader, becoming one of the youngest members of a general assembly in the nation to serve in a leadership role.[1]
Morgan McGarvey | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 3rd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | John Yarmuth |
| Minority Leader of the Kentucky Senate | |
| In office January 1, 2019 – January 1, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Ray Jones |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Neal |
| Member of the Kentucky Senate from the 19th district | |
| In office January 1, 2013 – January 1, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Shaughnessy |
| Succeeded by | TBD |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 23, 1979 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Chris Danner McGarvey |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Missouri (BA) University of Kentucky (JD) |
| Website | House website |
Early life and education
McGarvey was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and attended duPont Manual High School.[2] He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law.[3] He is the son of John McGarvey, a staff member for former Kentucky Governor Wendell Ford and the city attorney for Anchorage, Kentucky, since 1987.[4]
Early political career
Before his election to the Kentucky State Senate, McGarvey worked for Jack Conway as a Special Assistant Attorney General of Kentucky. He also worked for U.S. Representative Ben Chandler and the law firm Frost Brown Todd.[5] McGarvey practices law at Morgan Pottinger McGarvey, a firm his grandfather founded.[6]
Kentucky Senate
McGarvey was first elected in the 2012 election for Kentucky State Senate District 19. He defeated three other candidates in the Democratic primary on May 22, 2012, with 40.7% of the vote and was unopposed in the general election on November 6. In 2016, he was reelected to a second four-year term, defeating Republican nominee Larry West in the general election. In 2018, he became minority floor leader for the Kentucky State Senate. On November 3, 2020, McGarvey was elected to a third term unopposed.[7]
In the Senate, his committee assignments included the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Committee, the Banking and Insurance Committee, the State and Local Government Committee, and the Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs Task Force.[8]
Mothers Against Drunk Driving named McGarvey its 2015 Legislator of the Year.[8] The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility gave him a Leadership Award.[9] McGarvey was named a Most Valuable Policymaker by Greater Louisville Inc.[8] and 2016 Outstanding Young Professional by the University of Kentucky College of Law.[10]
U.S. House of Representatives
2022 election
On October 12, 2021, McGarvey launched a campaign to represent Kentucky's 3rd congressional district after Kentucky's sole Democratic U.S. representative, John Yarmuth, announced his retirement from the seat.[11] In the primary election, McGarvey defeated state Representative Attica Scott.[12] McGarvey won the general election and joined Congress in January 2023.[13]
Caucus memberships
Committee assignments
Personal life
McGarvey and his wife, Chris, live in the Strathmoor neighborhood, a part of the Highlands in Louisville, with their three children.[8]
The life of McGarvey's family has been documented by photographer Pam Spaulding for over forty years beginnning before McGarvey was born. Spaulding began the project while working at the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper and published photos of the McGarveys in the 2009 book An American Family: Three Decades with the McGarveys, published by National Geographic.[15] Spaulding continues to work documenting the McGarveys today.
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Morgan McGarvey | 5,030 | 40.7% | |
| Democratic | Sarah Lynn Cunningham | 4,261 | 34.5% | |
| Democratic | Amy E. Shoemaker | 1,812 | 14.7% | |
| Democratic | Gary Demling | 1,253 | 10.1% | |
| Total votes | 12,356 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Morgan McGarvey | 39,327 | 100% | |
| Total votes | 39,327 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Morgan McGarvey (incumbent) | 39,026 | 61.71% | |
| Republican | Larry West | 24,214 | 38.29% | |
| Total votes | 63,240 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Morgan McGarvey | 50,867 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 50,867 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Morgan McGarvey | 52,157 | 63.34% | |
| Democratic | Attica Scott | 30,183 | 36.66% | |
| Total votes | 82,340 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Morgan McGarvey | 160,853 | 62.0% | |
| Republican | Stuart Ray | 98,622 | 38.0% | |
References
- ^ "Senate democratic caucus elects Morgan McGarvey of Louisville as new floor leader". Northern Kentucky Tribune. December 12, 2018.
- ^ "Meet Morgan McGarvey". McGarvey for State Senate. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
- ^ "Forty Under 40: Morgan McGarvey". Louisville Business First. September 27, 2013.
Morgan McGarvey, senior associate, Morgan & Pottinger PSC; Kentucky state senator. Age: 33. Birthplace: Louisville.
- ^ Miller, Howard (January 28, 1987). "Two officials resign in Anchorage". Neighborhoods. The Courier-Journal. p. 3.
- ^ Hodge, Rae (March 11, 2013). "Once an Aspiring 'War Correspondent,' Morgan McGarvey Settles into Senate". WFPL News. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
- ^ "J. Morgan McGarvey". Morgan Pottinger McGarvey. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Morgan McGarvey". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "McGarvey for State Senate". Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ "2019 Responsibility.org Leadership Awards". Responsibility.org. December 20, 2019.
- ^ "Senator Morgan McGarvey Receives UK College of Law Young Professional Award". Morgan Pottinger McGarvey. May 12, 2016.
- ^ "Minutes after Rep. Yarmuth announcement, Sen. Morgan McGarvey says he'll run to fill the seat". WLKY. October 13, 2021.
- ^ "Kentucky State Rep. Attica Scott announces congressional run for Yarmuth seat". WDRB. July 7, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
- ^ Watkins, Morgan. "Kentucky state Sen. Morgan McGarvey wins Democratic primary for Rep. John Yarmuth's seat". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ "Leadership | New Democrat Coalition". newdemocratcoalition.house.gov. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Dukehart, Coburn (November 4, 2009). "An American Family". NPR. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ "Official 2012 General Election Results" (PDF). Retrieved November 13, 2021.
- ^ "Official 2016 General Election Results" (PDF). Retrieved November 13, 2021.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". vrsws.sos.ky.gov. Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
External links
- Congressman Morgan McGarvey official U.S. House website
- Morgan McGarvey for Congress campaign website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN