James Comer (politician)
| James Comer | |
|---|---|
| Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky | |
|
In office January 2, 2012 – January 4, 2016 | |
| Governor | Steve Beshear |
| Preceded by | Richie Farmer |
| Succeeded by | Ryan Quarles |
| Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from the 53rd district | |
|
In office January 2001 – January 2, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Billy Polston |
| Succeeded by | Bart Rowland |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 19, 1972 Tompkinsville, Kentucky, United States |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Western Kentucky University |
| Religion | Baptist |
James R. Comer (born August 19, 1972) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party from the Commonwealth of Kentucky who served as the Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky from 2012 to 2016. He previously served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 2000 to 2012. From 2011 to 2015, Comer was the only Republican holding a non-federal statewide elected office in Kentucky.
Comer sought the Republican nomination for Governor of Kentucky in the 2015 election.
Early life and education
Comer is a native of Tompkinsville, Kentucky. He received a bachelor's degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University. In college, he served as President of the Kentucky Future Farmers of America. After college, he started a 2,300 acres (950 ha) farm with his family. He also served as a director of a local bank for twelve years.
Early political career
He served as President of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce from 1999 until his 2000 election to the Kentucky House of Representatives at the age of 27. He served in the House until 2012, when he became Commissioner of Agriculture.
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture
In 2011, Comer ran for the position of Agriculture Commissioner; the incumbent, Richie Farmer, was term limited. In the election, Comer was the only Republican to win election to a statewide executive office. Comer had the highest percentage of the vote of any candidate on the ballot. He raised $606,766 while his opponent raised $204,287.[1] He took office on January 2012 and is eligible for re-election in 2015. One of his first actions in office was teaming up with Democratic Auditor Adam Edelen to investigate his Republican predecessor's ethical issues while in office.
Shortly after taking office, Comer labeled the legalization of industrialized hemp as his top priority.[2][3]
2015 gubernatorial election
On August 2, 2014, during the annual Fancy Farm picnic, Comer announced he would seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Kentucky in the 2015 election.[4] His running mate is State Senator Christian McDaniel.[5] Comer was 83 votes behind businessman Matt Bevin in the May 19, 2015 primary election. The Associated Press, referring to the race a "virtual tie", did not called the race in favor of either candidate. In addition, Comer had refused to concede and stated that he would ask for a recanvass. [6] The request for recanvass was filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office on May 20, 2015 with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes ordering the recanvass to occur at 9:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, May 28, 2015. [7][8] Upon completion of the recanvass, Grimes announced that Bevin remained 83 votes ahead of Comer. Grimes also stated that should Comer want a full recount, it would require a court order from the Franklin Circuit Court. [9] On May 29, Comer announced he would not request a recount and conceded the nomination to Bevin. [10]
Personal life
Comer is married to Tamara Jo "TJ" Comer and has three children, one boy and two girls. He is a Member of First Baptist Church of Tompkinsville, but has attended Forks of the Elkhorn Baptist Church since his election to the office of Agriculture Commissioner.[11][12] On May 5, 2015, he was accused of physical and mental abuse by Marilyn Thomas, a woman he dated while attending Western Kentucky University.[13]
References
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance
- ↑ "Lexington, KY local and state news by the Lexington Herald-Leader". Kentucky.com. Retrieved 2015-05-02.
- ↑ Bastian, Jonathan (2014-02-06). "Up Front TV: Kentucky Ag Commissioner James Comer on Hemp, GOP's Future, Felon Voting Rights - 89.3 WFPL". Wfpl.org. Retrieved 2015-05-02.
- ↑ "Ag. Commissioner James Comer announces run for governor in 2015". wdrb.com. August 2, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
- ↑ "James Comer Introduces Running Mate Chris McDaniel In Kentucky Gubernatorial Campaign Kick-Off". wkms.org. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
- ↑ http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Voters-head-to-the-polls-for-the-Kentucky-primary-election-304221281.html
- ↑
- ↑ Secretary Grimes Receives Recanvass Request from James Comer and Chris McDaniel
- ↑ Review shows Bevin holding 83-vote lead in Kentucky GOP primary Review shows Bevin holding 83-vote lead in Kentucky GOP primary
- ↑ Comer concedes, Bevin to face Conway in race for governor
- ↑ "James Comer, Jr.'s Biography". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2015-05-02.
- ↑ "Comer Tweets about events and services at "Forks of the Elkhorn [Southern] Baptist Church" with relative Frequency". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2015-05-02.
- ↑ "College girlfriend says James Comer abused her". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Richie Farmer |
Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky 2012–2016 |
Succeeded by Ryan Quarles |