LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As a Democrat in Kentucky’s overwhelmingly Republican state Senate, Morgan McGarvey knows what it is like to be in the minority party.
Still, in 10 years in the legislature, McGarvey has authored 18 bills that become law — a record of getting things done that he touts as he campaigns for Congress.
“I have been not just in the minority but in the super minority every single day since I’ve been in office,” McGarvey said.
Those 18 bills include mandating that insurance companies cover vital nutrients that extremely low-birthweight babies need to survive. McGarvey is a father of three and when his twins were born they weighed less than two pounds each and fought for their lives in the NICU. In a campaign ad, McGarvey said it’s his goal to “fight for the healthcare every family deserves.”
He also advocated changing a law that impacted how accreditation is obtained at Simmons College, Louisville’s only historically Black college. This change allowed the school to create a teacher-training program and opened up access to grant money which lowered tuition for students.
McGarvey, a Louisville-based attorney, is running in the 3rd Congressional District to replace Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth, who will cap off a 16-year career in Congress when he retires at the end of his term next year.
McGarvey is a heavy favorite next Tuesday over Republican businessman Stuart Ray. Democrats enjoy a big registration advantage in the district, which encompasses large parts of the Louisville area. There are more than 350,000 Democrats in the district compared to approximately 190,000 voters registered Republicans.
If elected, McGarvey would likely be the only Democrat in Kentucky’s congressional delegation.
“It’s important that we have leaders in Washington who refuse to accept the notion that we’re better divided. I refuse to accept the notion that we can’t get things done,” McGarvey said.
When asked what voters tell him is their No. 1 concern, McGarvey says it’s abortion rights.
“For the first time in our country’s history, the Supreme Court took rights away from people,” McGarvey said. “In Kentucky, we have an extreme and cruel trigger ban on abortion that prevents a woman from terminating her pregnancy at any time, for any reason other than a mother’s imminent health.”
McGarvey supports making the right to an abortion a federal law by codifying Roe v. Wade.
McGarvey also lists education as a top priority. He calls it the “greatest equalizer in a state like Kentucky.” He says he wants to make sure every child has a public preschool option.
Yarmuth chairs the powerful House Budget Committee, which enabled him to play a big role in passing some of President Joe Biden’s signature accomplishments, including the COVID-19 pandemic relief measure and the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Yarmuth endorsed McGarvey a press conference ahead of this year's primaries.
“Since I got to Washington, it’s been my policy not to get involved in non-presidential primaries, but it isn’t every day you get a chance to endorse a successor for a job you’ve had for 15 years,” Yarmuth said.
“Louisville is experiencing a loss with Chairman Yarmuth retiring,” McGarvey explained. “Obviously, I don’t think any freshmen member of Congress is going to go in on day one in a seniority-based body and become the chairman of a committee.”
“What I can tell you is that I am going to work just as I have in the state Senate, in Congress, work every day on constituent services, issues, on legislation, on building relationships with my colleagues.”
McGarvey has embraced TikTok as a way to communicate with constituents and get the Democrats’ message out. He frequently appears on the Kentucky Senate Democrats' TikTok.
He says if he gets elected, his TikTok presence will come with him to Washington.
Spectrum News also spent time with Stuart Ray, Morgan McGarvey's Republican opponent: Read more here.