Jim Gray | |
---|---|
Secretary of Transportation of Kentucky | |
Assumed office December 10, 2019 | |
Governor | Andy Beshear |
Preceded by | Greg Thomas |
Mayor of Lexington, Kentucky | |
In office January 2, 2011 – January 6, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Jim Newberry |
Succeeded by | Linda Gorton |
Personal details | |
Born | Glasgow, Kentucky, U.S. | August 18, 1953
Political party | Democratic |
Education | Emory University Western Kentucky University Vanderbilt University (BA) |
James P. Gray II (born August 18, 1953) is an American politician who is the Kentucky Secretary of Transportation in the administration of Governor Andy Beshear. He is the former two-term mayor of Lexington, Kentucky. Gray served as the city's vice-mayor from 2006 to 2010 before being elected mayor in November 2010. Gray won re-election to another four-year term on November 4, 2014.[1] In 2016, he ran for the United States Senate seat held by U.S. Senator Rand Paul. Gray won the May 17 Democratic primary with nearly 60% of the vote, becoming the first openly gay man to win the U.S. Senate nomination of a major political party. Gray lost the November 8 general election to Paul.[2]
Prior to serving as mayor, Gray was Chairman and CEO of Gray Construction, an engineering, design, and construction company headquartered in Lexington.[3] Once elected, he took an advisory role as Chair of the Board of Directors to focus on his role as mayor.[4]