MoxieTalk with Kirt Jacobs #479: Morgan McGarvey

Morgan McGarvey, born December 23, 1979, in Louisville, Kentucky, comes from a family rooted in public service. Influenced by his father, attorney and former Jeffersontown city attorney John McGarvey, he developed an early interest in law and governance. After graduating from DuPont Manual High School, he earned a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a law degree from the University of Kentucky. McGarvey gained public-sector experience through internships with Congressman Ben Chandler and the Kentucky Attorney General's Office before working as an attorney at Morgan Pottinger McGarvey and serving as a Special Assistant Attorney General. In 2012, he was elected to the Kentucky State Senate, representing Louisville's 19th District. He became known for his work on education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, voting rights, and other progressive priorities. In 2019, he was elected Senate Minority Leader, becoming the youngest person to hold that role. After Congressman John Yarmuth announced his retirement, McGarvey ran for Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District, won the Democratic primary and general election, and took office in January 2023. In Congress, he serves on committees including Small Business, Veterans Affairs, and Oversight and Accountability. His priorities include supporting small businesses, improving veterans' healthcare, promoting economic equity, protecting democratic institutions, advancing gun safety, reproductive rights, climate action, LGBTQ+ rights, and expanding access to education and healthcare. As Kentucky's only Democratic member of Congress, McGarvey represents Louisville while working to bridge urban and rural concerns. He lives in Louisville with his wife, Chris, and their three children, and is regarded as a pragmatic progressive and rising Democratic leader.