Amy McGrath | |
|---|---|
_1.jpg) McGrath in 2019 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 3, 1975 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (2017–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (before 2017) |
| Spouse |
Erik Henderson (m. 2009) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | United States Naval Academy (BS) Georgetown University (GradCert) Johns Hopkins University (MA) |
| Website | Campaign website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1997–2017 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant colonel |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | |
Amy Melinda McGrath (born June 3, 1975) is an American former Marine fighter pilot and former political candidate from Kentucky. McGrath was the first woman to fly a combat mission for the Marine Corps, as well as the first to pilot the F/A-18 on a combat mission.[1][2] During her 20 years of service in the Marine Corps, McGrath flew 89 combat missions against al-Qaeda and the Taliban.[3][4] Toward the end of her service, McGrath worked domestically as a political adviser, a liaison officer, and an instructor at the United States Naval Academy.
Following her retirement from military service in 2017, McGrath entered politics. She was the Democratic nominee for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in the 2018 election, losing to incumbent Republican Andy Barr[5] by a margin of 51% to 47.8%.[6] In July 2019, she announced her campaign for the United States Senate in the 2020 election, challenging incumbent Mitch McConnell.[7] In a close primary, McGrath defeated state representative Charles Booker to gain the nomination of the Democratic Party. McGrath outraised McConnell $90 million to $57 million, but she lost the general election by nearly 20 points.[8]
- ^ "Kenton native named to Ky. Aviation Hall of Fame". The Cincinnati Enquirer. August 14, 2016.
- ^ Kenny, Caroline (August 2, 2017). "Retired fighter pilot announces her run for Congress in Kentucky" (Includes video). CNN. Archived from the original on April 21, 2018.
- ^ de Wind, Dorian (August 2, 2017). "Amy McGrath, a Marine Combat Fighter WSO on a New Mission". HuffPost. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017.
- ^ Ellis, Ronnie (April 28, 2017). "NKY's Amy McGrath considering run against Andy Barr? CNHI News reporter Ronnie Ellis has the story". Northern Kentucky Tribune. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017.
- ^ Tackett, Michael (May 23, 2018). "How Amy McGrath Went From Marine Fighter Pilot to Victorious Democrat". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018.
- ^ Official 2018 General Election Results (PDF) (Report). Secretary of State of Kentucky. November 20, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ Desrochers, Daniel (July 9, 2019). "Amy McGrath launches campaign for U.S. Senate, paints a target on Mitch McConnell". Lexington Herald Leader. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Stanage, Niall (November 4, 2020). "Winners and losers from 2020's election". The Hill. Retrieved November 26, 2020.