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. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Previously, McGarvey represented the 19th district in the Kentucky Senate from 2012 to 2023. In 2018, he was elected minority leader, becoming one of the youngest members of a state legislature to serve in a leadership role.

McGarvey was first elected to Congress in 2022. He is currently the only Democrat in Kentucky's congressional delegation.

Early life and education McGarvey was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and attended duPont Manual High School. 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. 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.

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. McGarvey practices law at Morgan Pottinger McGarvey, a firm his grandfather founded.

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.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving named McGarvey its 2015 Legislator of the Year. McGarvey was named a Most Valuable Policymaker by Greater Louisville Inc.

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. In the primary election, McGarvey defeated state Representative Attica Scott. McGarvey won the general election and joined Congress in January 2023.

McGarvey opposed President Trump's "One, Big Beautiful" Budget Reconciliation Bill in 2025 and said "To pay for it, kids in Kentucky will go hungry, nursing homes and hospitals will close, and millions of Americans will be kicked off their health insurance. It’s wrong."

Joe Biden On July 19, 2024, McGarvey called for Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 United States presidential election.

Committee assignments For the 119th Congress: Committee on the Budget Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (Ranking Member) Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity

Caucus memberships

Black Maternal Health Caucus Congressional Progressive Caucus Future Forum New Democrat Coalition Congressional Equality Caucus Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment Congressional Bus Caucus Rare Disease Caucus

Personal life McGarvey and his wife, Chris, live in the Strathmoor neighborhood, a part of the Highlands in Louisville, with their three children. Spaulding continues to work documenting the McGarveys today.

Electoral history