Reporter Ronnie Ellis for CNHI News Service is reporting that Marine Lt. Col. Amy McGrath of Northern Kentucky is considering a challenge for the Congressional seat held by Andy Barr in the Sixth District.
McGrath told Ellis in an email that ““I’m currently an active duty officer in the U.S. Marines. I cannot comment on any future plans until after my retirement on 1 June, 2017.”
Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Sannie Overly said there are multiple people considering a challenge to Barr. Overly wouldn’t name the others but when asked directly, she confirmed McGrath is one of them.
“I can confirm that Col. McGrath is considering the race,” Overly said. “I’m impressed with the caliber of the potential candidates, including Col. McGrath.”
Amy McGrath
The Lexington Herald Leader reported that Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, who lost a U.S. Senate race against Mitch McConnell in 2014, and former state Auditor Adam Edelen have said they aren’t interested in running for Barr’s seat.
Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, who last year lost a U.S. Senate race to Rand Paul, hasn’t ruled out such a race but some in his political orbit doubt he’s interested, Ellis
reported.
Chandler, who lost to Barr in 2012, said McGrath has told him she’s interested in running for office in Kentucky.
McGrath, while a student at Notre Dame Academy, received a superintendent’s appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy where she graduated with a degree in Political Science. She became a Weapons Systems Officer, flying combat missions in the second seat in Afghanistan.
She went to flight school and became an FA-18 fighter pilot and later flew 85 combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2011, McGrath served as foreign policy advisor to U.S. Congressman Susan Davis, D-San Diego, who served as chair and ranking member on the Subcommittee on Military Personnel of the House Armed Committee and whose husband is originally from Louisville.
McGrath later served at the Pentagon as the Marine Corps’ liaison to such federal agencies as the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. She currently is a senior political science instructor at the Naval Academy. In 2016, she was inducted into the Kentucky Aviation Museum Hall of Fame and her military story is featured in the book, “Band of sisters: American Women at War in Iraq,” published in 2007.
She is married to Naval Lt. Commander Erik Henderson and they have three young children.
Reporter Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.
See these NKyTribune stories about McGrath:
Best of luck to you Col. McGrath in your race. I think Barr’s “use by” date is long past. Now if we can just get someone to run against Massey in Northern KY. Arizona elected a female Air Force pilot who flew A-10 Warthogs some time ago. I think its a bit amusing that she outranks her husband and has to explain it often.