LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth endorsed Kentucky's Senate Minority Leader Morgan McGarvey on Monday as his choice to succeed him.
Yarmuth, the influential chairman of the House Budget Committee, announced last fall that he wouldn’t run another term as he seeks to spend more time with his family. Yarmuth played a role in passing high-profile national measures, including COVID-19 pandemic-relief legislation and the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Democrats obviously want to retain their lone seat in Kentucky's congressional delegation, and McGarvey is the top-ranking Democrat in the Republican-dominated Kentucky Senate.
His primary rival is state Rep. Attica Scott, D-Louisville, who announced her campaign for Yarmuth's seat this summer.
"Louisville needs a leader who sees its true colors and understands the experiences of all of our neighbors," she said in her campaign video.
Louisville remains a Democratic stronghold while most of Kentucky is solidly Republican. Seven Republicans are running for the 3rd District seat, which Yarmuth initially gained by ousting a veteran GOP congresswoman in 2006.
At their joint appearance Monday, Yarmuth described McGarvey as a “true champion of progressive values.”
"Most importantly, he has shown an ability to build and work in diverse coalitions necessary to create meaningful change," Yarmuth said.
Louisville Metro Councilmember Keisha Dorsey, D-3, was at the announcement for McGarvey but said Scott or McGarvey in Yarmuth's seat is a good thing for Louisville.
Louisville's Rep. Attica Scott in a committee meeting at the Kentucky State Capitol during the 2022 session.
”I think Kentucky wins either way," Dorsey said.
Scott is a self-proclaimed "reptivist," representative and activist, known for standing up for Black rights and pushing for police reform following the death of Breonna Taylor.
"We need a leader who sees this glaring inequality, has the empathy to understand it and the resolve to address it," she said in her campaign video.
WDRB News asked McGarvey at the announcement how he would represent people of color if elected.
"I have made it a daily part of my commitment to public service to represent everyone, everyone, to every corner of our city," he said.
Louisville Metro Councilmember Keisha Dorsey said her support for McGarvey is founded in his track record of working with her on what her district needs.
"I think it's less about representation in the form of, 'Is it a Black person representing you? Is it a White person representing you?'" Dorsey said. "What I care about is whoever is representing me. What they are doing for me? What they are doing for their people, not just about their skin color."
Yarmuth acknowledged Monday his long-running policy of not making endorsements in non-presidential primaries. He said he concluded it was his responsibility — based on the perspective he gained during his years in Congress — to publicly weigh in on his preference for a successor.
U.S. 3rd Congressional District candidates for 2022.
He acknowledged it will be a “bittersweet moment” when he leaves office.
“I’ll be reassured to know that this seat is in Morgan’s capable hands," Yarmuth said. "And I assure you that I would be proud to call him my representative in Congress.”
McGarvey said that as a state legislator, he’s tried to follow Yarmuth’s example. He praised Yarmuth for having “stayed true to his values” while building coalitions to “get big things done.”
“I’m running for Congress in part to make sure that Louisville continues to have an effective voice in Washington," McGarvey said. "There’s problems that we see every day. Those problems deserve a federal response.”
McGarvey endorsed a series of progressive policies: universal prekindergarten, the child tax credit program, paid family leave and efforts to combat climate change, including more green jobs as part of an overall jobs-growth plan.
Under the GOP's new redistricting plan for Kentucky, the 3rd District remained basically intact, covering most of Jefferson County, which includes Louisville. Whites make up nearly 64% of Louisville’s population, while Black people account for more than one-fifth of the city’s population, according to census figures.
Scott hasn't responded to WDRB News request for comment on Yarmouth's endorsement.
There's seven Republican Candidates running as well.
Kentucky's primary election is set for May 17. But the state's newly redrawn congressional districts, passed last month by the legislature, have drawn a court challenge.
Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved.
