James Comer (politician)

American politician (born 1972)

Not to be confused with James Comey.

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|

James Comer

Official portrait, 2020

Chair of the House Oversight Committee

Incumbent

Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded by| Carolyn Maloney
Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee
In office
June 29, 2020 – January 3, 2023
Preceded by| Jim Jordan
Succeeded by| Jamie Raskin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 1st district

Incumbent

Assumed office
November 8, 2016
Preceded by| Ed Whitfield
Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky
In office
January 2, 2012 – January 4, 2016
Governor|

* Steve Beshear
* Matt Bevin

Preceded by| Richie Farmer
Succeeded by| Ryan Quarles
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
from the 53rd district
In office
January 1, 2001 – January 2, 2012
Preceded by| Billy Polston
Succeeded by| Bart Rowland
Personal details
Born|

James Richardson Comer Jr.

(1972-08-19) August 19, 1972 (age 52)
Carthage, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party| Republican
Spouse|

Tamara Jo Comer

(m. 2003)​

Children| 3
Website| House website

James Comer's voice

James Comer on the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
Recorded May 9, 2018

James Richardson Comer Jr.[1] (/ˈkoʊmər/ KOH-mər; born August 19, 1972) is an American politician from Kentucky who represents the state's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he has served in Congress since 2016, during the 114th United States Congress. He previously served in the Kentucky House of Representatives and also served as the Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky.

As the chair of the Oversight Committee from 2023, Comer has declined or stopped investigations into former President Donald Trump, while starting an investigation on President Joe Biden and his family. As of August 2024, Comer's investigation has yet to unearth evidence that Joe Biden was directly involved or profited from his family's business activities.[2] After Joe Biden ended his 2024 presidential re-election campaign, Comer began an investigation into the new Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, and also began an investigation into the new Democratic vice-presidential nominee, Governor Tim Walz.

Comer served as Kentucky's agriculture commissioner from 2012 to 2016 and in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 2000 to 2012. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor of Kentucky in the 2015 election. A year later, he won the Republican nomination for Kentucky's 1st congressional district to succeed Ed Whitfield. On November 8, 2016, Comer won both a full term to the seat for the next Congress and a special election that allowed him to serve the remainder of Whitfield's term.

## Early life and education

[edit]

Comer is a native of Carthage, Tennessee. He grew up in Monroe County, Kentucky, graduating from Monroe County High School, Tompkinsville, Kentucky, in 1990.[3] He received a BS in Agriculture from Western Kentucky University in 1993.[4][5][failed verification] In college he served as president of the Kentucky Future Farmers of America.[6] After college, he and his family started James Comer, Jr. Farms,[7] a 2,300 acres (950 ha) farm,[8] and he also co-owns Comer Land & Cattle Co.[9] He served as a director of the South Central Bank for 12 years.[4] Comer served as president of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce from 1999 to 2000.[4]

## Kentucky politics

[edit]

### Kentucky House of Representatives

[edit]

In 2000, Comer was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives at the age of 27 following the retirement of incumbent Billy Polston. Comer defeated Polston's wife Donnie for the Republican nomination.[10][11]

### Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture

[edit]

Comer speaking to members of the Kentucky National Guard in 2013

In 2011, Comer ran for agriculture commissioner. The incumbent, Richie Farmer, was term-limited.[12] In the election, Comer was the only Republican to win election to a statewide executive office,[13] and worked with a team of Democratic officials and under a Democratic governor.[14] He had the highest percentage of the vote of any candidate on the ballot, and raised $606,766 to his opponent's $204,287.[15] He took office in January 2012. One of Comer's first actions in office was to team up with Democratic Auditor Adam Edelen to investigate his Republican predecessor's ethics while in office.[16]

That year Comer, became chair of the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission,[17] and shortly after taking office, he called the legalization of industrialized hemp his top priority,[18][19] and was "instrumental in getting the hemp industry up and running",[20] including by founding several pilot programs[21] in an effort to restart Kentucky's industrial hemp industry. He also filed suit against the DEA, which resulted in the DEA allowing hemp seeds to be delivered to Kentucky farmers for the first new crops.[22] Between 2014 and 2015, Kentucky's hemp crops grew from 33 to 1,700 acres.[23] Comer also advocated for national hemp deregulation.[24]

Comer founded the Kentucky Proud Farm to Campus program,[25] and created a mobile science centers program for primary and secondary school students to learn about agricultural sciences.[26]

### 2015 gubernatorial election

[edit]

Main article: 2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election

Comer in 2014

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.[27] His running mate was State Senator Christian McDaniel.[28] At the conclusion of voting in the May 19 election, Comer was 83 votes behind businessman Matt Bevin. The Associated Press, calling the race a "virtual tie", did not call it for either candidate. Comer refused to concede and said he would request a recanvass.[29] The request was filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office on May 20, with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes ordering the recanvass to begin at 9:00 a.m. on May 28.[30][31] After the recanvass, Grimes announced that Bevin remained 83 votes ahead of Comer.[32] She also said that should Comer want a full recount, it would require a court order from the Franklin Circuit Court.[33] On May 29, Comer announced he would not request a recount and conceded the nomination to Bevin.[34]

## U.S. House of Representatives

[edit]

### Elections

[edit]

#### 2016

[edit]

Comer being sworn in by Speaker Paul Ryan

In 2016, Comer entered the Republican primary election for the 1st congressional district of Kentucky against two other competitors. Before the primary, he was endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund[35] and the US Chamber of Commerce.[36] He won the primary with 60.6% of the vote; the real contest in this heavily Republican district.[32] Comer was elected to the House with 72.6% of the vote.[20] Since Whitfield had resigned in September, Comer ran in two elections on November 8–a special election for the last two months of Whitfield's 11th term, and a regular election for a full two-year term. Comer won both elections over Democratic nominee Samuel L. Gaskins with over 72% of the vote.[37] He was sworn in soon after the results were certified, giving him two months' more seniority over the rest of the 2017 freshman class.

### Tenure

[edit]

During his first few months in office, Comer held several town hall meetings, where he discussed the Congress's early platform.[38] He partnered with Murray State University to form the Congressman James Comer Congressional Agriculture Fellowship program,[39] and advocated for agricultural legislation reform.[40] He criticized the regulatory policies of Barack Obama,[41] and supported the early domestic policies and actions of President Donald Trump. Comer is a social conservative on same-sex marriage and abortion, which means he is in opposition to both.[42] He believes the trade embargo on Cuba should be lifted.[43]

Comer voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[44] After the bill passed, he said: "I am proud to support this critical part of President Trump's pro-growth agenda that will fulfill this promise to the American people who have struggled under the weight of Washington bureaucrats for far too long."[45]

Comer was an original cosponsor of the Hemp Farming Act, which legalized hemp nationwide and removed federal regulations on the crop.[46] The bill was later included in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 and signed into law by President Trump on December 20, 2018.[47] Comer was a member of the conference committee that negotiated its final version.[48]

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Comer and Representative Suzanne Bonamici introduced legislation that would protect access to school lunches for school districts throughout the country that had to close because of the pandemic.[49] The COVID-19 Child Nutrition Response Act allows the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to waive requirements for children to gather at schools for school officials and food service personnel to distribute reimbursable, nutritious meals. It also gives local school officials discretion over substitutions for meal components if supply or procurement is disrupted.[50] When introducing the bill, Comer said, "this bill is a critical step toward ensuring that our students maintain access to the school meals they rely on for their health and well-being".[49] After it cleared the House and Senate, President Trump signed the legislation into law on March 18.[50]

After the 2022 United States House of Representatives election resulted in a House Republican majority, Comer said that the House Oversight Committee's "focus in this next Congress" would be to investigate President Joe Biden, particularly his "relationship with his family's foreign partners and whether he is a president who is compromised or swayed by foreign dollars and influence".[51]

After Comer became chair of the Oversight Committee, he responded in January 2023 to the Joe Biden classified documents incident by calling for visitor logs for Biden's residence, where Biden's lawyers found some classified documents from his vice presidency; the same day, Comer said that he would not call for visitor logs for Trump's residence Mar-a-Lago, where an FBI search found classified documents from Trump's presidency despite Trump's lawyers' claim that no such documents were there.[52] Comer declared he would investigate Biden because Biden "hasn't been investigated", adding: "there have been so many investigations of President Trump. I don't feel like we need to spend a whole lot of time investigating President Trump".[53] When Comer told Fox TV's Sean Hannity, "You look at how Donald Trump is treated. He had documents in one location behind a locked door," Florida Democratic congressman Jared Moskowitz aired previously publicly widely distributed footage of large quantities boxes of classified and confidential documents in Mar-a-Lago were haphazardly stored in various places including an unlocked bathroom and on a theater stage.[54] In March 2023, Comer confirmed that he had ended a House investigation into Trump's financial dealings, in which Trump's former accounting company, Mazars USA, had been turning over documents as part of a court-supervised settlement; the documents provided information on how foreign governments patronized the Trump International Hotel. Comer said he "didn’t even know who or what Mazars was" and that he was instead investigating "money the Bidens received from China".[55]

When CNN asked Comer in April 2023 whether his investigation had found "anything illegal while [Joe Biden] was actually in office", he replied: "we found a lot that's certainly unethical … We found a lot that should be illegal. The line is blurry as to what is legal and not legal with respect to family influence-peddling."[56][57] On September 12, 2023, Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, and announced that he had chosen Comer to head the inquiry.[58]

Comer discussed the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden in October 2023, stating that "because we have so many documents, and we can bring these people in for [private] depositions or [public] committee hearings, whichever they choose".[59] After Biden's son Hunter was subpoenaed to testify, Hunter preferred to testify publicly instead of privately, to avoid misrepresentations of the proceedings, stated Hunter's lawyer; Comer responded that the subpoenas for a private deposition were "not mere suggestions open to [Hunter] Biden's interpretation or preference".[59]

In March 2024, Comer declared: "I am preparing criminal referrals as the culmination of my investigation" for the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden.[60] In June 2024, Comer made criminal referrals of Hunter Biden and James Biden to the Justice Department, over alleged refusal to provide information that that The Hill reported had "limited connection" to Joe Biden.[61] Later that month Comer insisted that "this is an investigation of Joe Biden … This was always about Joe Biden … the next step will be accountability for Joe Biden."[62] In August 2024, The Washington Post reported that Comer's "investigation quietly sputtered out after no evidence or testimony obtained by congressional Republicans showed that the president was a direct participant in or beneficiary of his family’s business dealings … Comer himself also promised multiple criminal referrals against [Joe] Biden that never materialized."[2]

After Joe Biden ended his 2024 presidential re-election campaign and Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic Party presidential nominee, Comer in August 2024 announced an investigation into Harris' actions in regard to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the United States-Mexico border, with Comer declaring that it was "unclear what actions, if any, Vice President Harris has taken to fix the border crisis".[63] Later in August 2024, Comer announced another investigation, this time on the Democratic Party's vice-presidential nominee, Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, as Comer asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation to provide information on Walz in relation to China.[64]

### Committee assignments

[edit]

For the 118th Congress:[65]

* Committee on Education and the Workforce
* Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
* Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
* Committee on Oversight and Accountability (Chair)
* As Chair of the committee, Rep. Comer is entitled to sit as an ex officio member in all subcommittee meetings, per the committee's rules.

### Caucus memberships

[edit]

* Rare Disease Caucus[66]
* Second Amendment Caucus
* Republican Study Committee[67]
* Congressional Coalition on Adoption[68]
* Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans[69]

## Political positions

[edit]

### Health care

[edit]

Comer supports the repeal of the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare").[70]

### Economic issues

[edit]

In 2016 Comer called the Obama administration's final budget a "disaster in the making".[citation needed] In 2017, he voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, also denoted as the "Trump tax cuts", which was estimated to add $1.49 trillion to the national debt.[71]

Comer opposes paid parental leave for federal workers.[72]

### Immigration

[edit]

Comer opposes amnesty and sanctuary cities. He supports Executive Order 13767, the building of a wall along the Mexico–U.S. border.[70]

### Abortion

[edit]

Comer is anti-abortion.[70]

### Marijuana

[edit]

Comer supports declassifying marijuana as a Schedule 1 narcotic and growing hemp. In December 2017, he said there is "simply not enough support for medical marijuana legalization across the board".[73]

### LGBT rights

[edit]

Comer opposes same-sex marriage.[70] He also opposes banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and voted against the Equality Act in 2019.[74][75] Comer voted against the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022.[76]

### Foreign policy

[edit]

In June 2021, Comer was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal the AUMF against Iraq.[77][78]

In 2023, Comer was among 47 Republicans to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21 which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.[79][80]

Comer voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[81][82]

## Electoral history

[edit]

Kentucky 53rd State House District Republican Primary, 2000[83] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer  | 3,969  | 81.33
| Republican | Donnie Mayfield Polston  | 911  | 18.67
Total votes  | 4,880  | 100.0
Kentucky 53rd State House District General Election, 2000[84] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer  | 11,051  | 100.0
Total votes  | 11,051  | 100.0
Kentucky 53rd State House District General Election, 2002[85] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer (incumbent)  | 9,361  | 100.0
Total votes  | 9,361  | 100.0
Kentucky 53rd State House District General Election, 2004[86] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer (incumbent)  | 12,247  | 100.0
Total votes  | 12,247  | 100.0
Kentucky 53rd State House District General Election, 2006[87] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer (incumbent)  | 10,876  | 100.0
Total votes  | 10,876  | 100.0
Kentucky 53rd State House District General Election, 2008[88] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer (incumbent)  | 12,482  | 100.0
Total votes  | 12,482  | 100.0
Kentucky 53rd State House District General Election, 2010[89] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer (incumbent)  | 12,040  | 100.0
Total votes  | 12,040  | 100.0
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Republican Primary, 2011[90] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer  | 86,316  | 66.67
| Republican | Rob Rothenburger | 43,150  | 33.33
Total votes  | 129,466  | 100.0
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture General Election, 2011[91] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer  | 519,183  | 63.79
| Democratic | Robert "Bob" Farmer  | 294,663  | 36.21
Total votes  | 813,846  | 100.0
Kentucky Governor Republican Primary, 2015[92] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Matt Bevin (Jenean Hampton)  | 70,480  | 32.90
| Republican | James R. Comer (Chris McDaniel)  | 70,397  | 32.87
| Republican | Hal Heiner (K.C. Crosbie)  | 57,951  | 27.06
| Republican | Will T. Scott (Rodney Coffey)  | 15,365  | 7.17
Total votes  | 214,193  | 100.0
Kentucky 1st Congressional District Republican Primary, 2016[93] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer  | 24,342  | 60.59
| Republican | Mike Pape  | 9,357  | 23.29
| Republican | Jason Batts  | 5,578  | 13.88
| Republican | Miles A. Caughey Jr.  | 896  | 2.23
Total votes  | 40,173  | 100.0
Kentucky 1st Congressional District Special Election, 2016[94] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer  | 209,810  | 72.19
| Democratic | Samuel L. Gaskins  | 80,813  | 27.81
Total votes  | 290,623  | 100.0
Kentucky 1st Congressional District General Election, 2016[95] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer  | 216,959  | 72.56
| Democratic | Samuel L. Gaskins  | 81,710  | 27.33
| Write-in  | Terry McIntosh  | 332  | 0.11
Total votes  | 299,001  | 100.0
Kentucky 1st Congressional District General Election, 2018[96] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James R. Comer (incumbent)  | 172,167  | 68.59
| Democratic | Paul Walker  | 78,849  | 31.41
Total votes  | 251,016  | 100.0
Kentucky 1st Congressional District General Election, 2020[97] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James Comer (incumbent)  | 246,329  | 75.0
| Democratic | James Rhodes  | 82,141  | 25.0
Total votes  | 328,470  | 100.0
| Republican hold
Kentucky 1st Congressional District General Election, 2022[98] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | James Comer (incumbent)  | 184,157  | 74.9
| Democratic | Jimmy Ausbrooks  | 61,701  | 25.1
Total votes  | 245,858  | 100.0
| Republican hold

## Personal life

[edit]

Comer is married to Tamara Jo "TJ" Comer and has three children. He was baptized at First Baptist Church of Tompkinsville and is a member of Elkhorn Baptist Church in Midway, Kentucky.[1][99]

### Personal finances

[edit]

In 2015, just before Comer started publicly running for Congress, he bought a 50% stake in six acres of Kentucky land for $128,000 from landowner Darren Cleary, a major donor to Comer's political campaigns.[100] In 2017, Comer transferred this stake to a shell company, Farm Team Properties, that Comer owns with his wife.[100]

Comer reported that Farm Team Companies was worth at least $500,000 in 2022, but it was "not clear" if the shell company owned any other assets, reported the Associated Press in 2023.[100] In 2020, Comer was criticized for stock trading ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic-related 2020 stock market crash: Comer reportedly dumped shares in Bank of America and purchased shares of online workplace messaging company Slack.[101]

By 2023, Comer has reported owning around 1,600 acres of land.[100]

### Abuse allegations

[edit]

On May 5, 2015, Comer was accused of physical and mental abuse by Marilyn Thomas, a woman he dated while attending Western Kentucky University in 1993.[102] He has said he believes the accusation was a political stunt to hinder his gubernatorial campaign.[32]

## References

[edit]

* Kentucky portal

1. ^ a b "James Comer, Jr.'s Biography". Votesmart.org. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
2. ^ a b Somasundaram, Praveena; Alemany, Jacqueline; Tan, Rebecca; Chiang, Vic (August 16, 2024). "House Republicans launch probe into Tim Walz's relationship to China". Archived from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
3. ^ "Biographical Guide to the United States Congress". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
4. ^ a b c Barton, Ryland (May 13, 2015). "James Comer's Quest To 'Pass A Bold Agenda' Gets Bumpy". WKU Public Radio.
5. ^ WKU Registrar (May 8, 1993). "UA45/6 Commencement Program". WKU Archives Records.
6. ^ What does James Comer’s rising profile in Washington mean for his future in KY?, Herald-Leader, Austin Horn, January 25, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
7. ^ "KY Commissioner of Agriculture James Comer to Keynote Farm Family Night at MCTC". maysville.kctcs.edu.
8. ^ "Comer combines experience in bid". Paducah Sun.[permanent dead link‍]
9. ^ "Comer commemorates May beef month in Kentucky". May 10, 2013.
10. ^ "Incumbent's wife, young farmer seek house seat in 53rd". Lexington Herald-Leader. May 18, 2000. p. B1.
11. ^ Loftus, Tom. "Comer confident despite campaign 'turbulence'". The Courier-Journal.
12. ^ "Comer and Bob Farmer will face off for agriculture commissioner".
13. ^ "Clinton County News » 2011 – The Year In Review". Clinton News.
14. ^ "Ag Commissioner James Comer ending first year in office as it began – full steam ahead - KyForward.com". KY Forward. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
15. ^ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance
16. ^ "Bluegrass Beacon: Edelen takes the farm for government transparency". May 4, 2012.
17. ^ "America's hemp epicenter: Kentucky ag commissioner excites enthusiasts". October 14, 2015.
18. ^ "Lexington, KY local and state news by the Lexington Herald-Leader". Kentucky.com. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
19. ^ Bastian, Jonathan (February 6, 2014). "Up Front TV: Kentucky Ag Commissioner James Comer on Hemp, GOP's Future, Felon Voting Rights". WFPL. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
20. ^ a b Markgraf, Matt (February 10, 2017). "Congressman James Comer Talks President Trump, Trade Deals, Regulations, Hemp".
21. ^ "Comer, growers, industry leaders announce array of hemp projects". May 6, 2015.
22. ^ "Kentucky CBD: Back to the Future with Industrial Hemp". May 12, 2015.
23. ^ "Kentucky's 2015 Hemp Crop to Exceed 1,700 Acres; Up from 33 Acres in 2014". May 8, 2015.
24. ^ Colston, Kenny (April 23, 2013). "Ag Commissioner James Comer Heading to Washington to Talk Hemp". Louisville: WFPL.
25. ^ Mason, Charles A. (March 17, 2015). "Gubernatorial hopeful Comer speaks about farm program". Bowling Green Daily News.
26. ^ "Comer launches new mobile science units to teach Kentucky kids about agriculture". The Lane Report. August 19, 2013.
27. ^ "Ag. Commissioner James Comer announces run for governor in 2015". WDRB. August 2, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
28. ^ "James Comer Introduces Running Mate Chris McDaniel In Kentucky Gubernatorial Campaign Kick-Off". WKMS. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
29. ^ "Officials say Bevin, Comer race too close to call". WKYT. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
30. ^ "Comer Recanvass" (PDF). May 26, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 26, 2015.
31. ^ "Secretary Grimes Receives Recanvass Request from James Comer and Chris McDaniel". Kentucky.gov. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
32. ^ a b c Hagen, Lisa (October 21, 2015). "After Near-Miss in Kentucky Governor's Race, James Comer Tries a Congressional Comeback". The Atlantic.
33. ^ "Review shows Bevin holding 83-vote lead in Kentucky GOP primary". WKYT. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
34. ^ "Comer concedes, Bevin to face Conway in race for governor". WKYT. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
35. ^ "NRA-PVF Endorses James Comer In Kentucky's Primary for the 1st Congressional District". NRA-PVF. April 11, 2016. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
36. ^ Null, John (April 27, 2016). "[AUDIO] James Comer Talks Bid for 1st District Congressional Seat Ahead of May 17 Primary".
37. ^ "James Comer Elected to Fill Open Seat in Kentucky's 1st District". Roll Call. November 9, 2016. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
38. ^ Rita Dukes Smith. "Comer Town Hall Set in Heart of Farmland USA". SurfKY News.[permanent dead link‍]
39. ^ "Congressman James Comer and Murray State University Hutson School of Agriculture partner for agriculture fellowship". The Blue & Gold.
40. ^ Markgraf, Matt (April 11, 2017). "Congressman Comer Talks Farm Bill, Ag Industry, Healthcare in Hopkinsville".
41. ^ "Comer Talks Tobacco with Secretary of Agriculture". West Kentucky Star.
42. ^ Markgraf, Matt (April 11, 2017). ""That Was Not an Act of War" Comer Talks Syrian Strike and More with Murray Business Leaders".
43. ^ Markgraf, Matt (March 13, 2017). "Rep. Comer: Kentucky Ag Industry Would Benefit from Lifting Embargo on Cuba".
44. ^ Almukhtar, Sarah (December 19, 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
45. ^ "Congressman Comer votes for final version of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | The Ohio County Monitor". Ohio County Monitor. December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
46. ^ "Hemp Farming Act of 2018 (2018 - H.R. 5485)". GovTrack.us.
47. ^ "Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 - H.R. 2)". GovTrack.us.
48. ^ "Comer gains seat on farm bill conference committee". Associated Press. July 18, 2018.
49. ^ a b York, Dalton (March 11, 2020). "Comer Introduces Bill To Protect School Lunches During Coronavirus Outbreak". WKMS.
50. ^ a b McSwine, Bobbi (March 19, 2020). "Bill to allow students to receive meals during coronavirus outbreak signed into law".
51. ^ Morgan, David (November 18, 2022). "U.S. House Republicans make investigation of Biden a top priority". Reuters. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
52. ^ Chiacu, Doina (January 16, 2023). "Republicans want Biden home visitor logs - but not Trump's". Reuters. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
53. ^ Knutson, Jacob (January 15, 2023). "Comer: House won't investigate Trump classified docs despite Biden probe". Axios. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
54. ^ Moye, David (March 13, 2024). "Florida Democrat Roasts GOP Rep. James Comer's Claim About Where Trump Hid Docs". The Huffington Post. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
55. ^ Broadwater, Luke; Swan, Jonathan (March 13, 2023). "House Republicans Quietly Halt Inquiry Into Trump's Finances". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
56. ^ Dicker, Ron (April 19, 2023). "Rep. James Comer's Update On GOP Probe Into Bidens' Business Dealings Is Weak Sauce". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
57. ^ Garcia, Eric (April 19, 2023). "Republican committee chair trying to dig up dirt on Biden admits they've come up dry". The Independent. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
58. ^ Amari, Fournish (September 12, 2023). "What's ahead now that Republicans are opening an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden". Associated Press. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
59. ^ a b Brooks, Emily (December 6, 2023). "Hunter Biden battle with House GOP over public vs. private testimony heats up". The Hill. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
60. ^ Solender, Andrew (March 25, 2024). "Comer doubles down on shift away from Biden impeachment". Retrieved August 18, 2024.
61. ^ Beitsch, Rebecca (June 5, 2024). "GOP refers Hunter Biden, James Biden to DOJ amid accusations of misleading Congress". The Hill. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
62. ^ Fortinsky, Sarah (June 9, 2024). "Comer, after criminal referrals, pledges to go after Biden: 'This is just the beginning'". The Hill. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
63. ^ Broadwater, Luke (August 8, 2024). "House Republicans Pivot Scrutiny From Biden to Harris". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
64. ^ Carney, Jordain (August 16, 2024). "House GOP sets its sights on Walz". Politico. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
65. ^ "James Comer". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
66. ^ "Rare Disease Congressional Caucus". Every Life Foundation for Rare Diseases. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
67. ^ "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
68. ^ "Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute".
69. ^ "Members of the Caucus on U.S. - Türkiye Relations & Turkish Americans". Turkish Coalition of America. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
70. ^ a b c d "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
71. ^ Bryan, Bob. "The giant Senate tax bill barely squeaked by a critical test". Business Insider. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
72. ^ "Federal workers would be eligible for paid leave for more reasons under this House bill". The Washington Post. 2021.
73. ^ Harvey, Laura. "Comer meets with residents". The Messenger. Retrieved December 28, 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
74. ^ "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 217". Retrieved December 2, 2023.
75. ^ "House Debate on the Equality Act". C-SPAN. May 17, 2019.
76. ^ "Roll Call 373 Roll Call 373, Bill Number: H. R. 8404, 117th Congress, 2nd Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
77. ^ "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization". NBC News. June 17, 2021.
78. ^ "Final vote results for roll call 172". clerk.house.gov. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
79. ^ "H.Con.Res. 21: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of … -- House Vote #136 -- Mar 8, 2023". GovTrack.us.
80. ^ "House Votes Down Bill Directing Removal of Troops From Syria". Associated Press. March 8, 2023.
81. ^ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
82. ^ "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
83. ^ "2000 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
84. ^ "2000 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
85. ^ "2002 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
86. ^ "2004 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
87. ^ "2006 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
88. ^ "2008 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
89. ^ "2010 Primary and General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
90. ^ "2011 Primary and General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
91. ^ "2011 Primary and General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
92. ^ "2015 Primary and General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
93. ^ "2016 Primary and General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
94. ^ "Special Elections - 2016 - 1st Congressional District" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
95. ^ "2016 Primary and General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
96. ^ "2018 Primary and General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
97. ^ "November 3, 2020 - Official 2020 General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky Secretary of State. November 20, 2020. pp. 12–19. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
98. ^ "November 8, 2022 - Official 2022 General Election Results" (PDF). Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 24, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
99. ^ "Comer Tweets about events and services at "Forks of the Elkhorn [Southern] Baptist Church" with relative Frequency". Twitter.com. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
100. ^ a b c d Slodysko, Brian (December 14, 2023). "The Republican leading the probe of Hunter Biden has his own shell company and complicated friends". Associated Press. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
101. ^ Bailey, Phillip M.; Miller, Alfred (March 21, 2020). "Kentucky congressman James Comer traded stocks ahead of coronavirus market plunge". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
102. ^ Gerth, Joseph (May 5, 2015). "College girlfriend says James Comer abused her". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved November 16, 2016.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Comer.

* Congressman James Comer official U.S. House website
* Campaign site
* Appearances on C-SPAN

* Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
* Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
* Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
* Profile at Vote Smart

Party political offices

Preceded by

Richie Farmer

|  Republican nominee for Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky
2011  | Succeeded by

Ryan Quarles

Political offices
Preceded by

Richie Farmer

|  Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky
2012–2016  | Succeeded by

Ryan Quarles

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by

Ed Whitfield

|  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 1st congressional district
2016–present  | Incumbent
Preceded by

Carolyn Maloney

|  Chair of the House Oversight Committee
2023–present  | Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by

Warren Davidson

|  United States representatives by seniority
181st  | Succeeded by

Dwight Evans

* v
* t
* e

Chairs and ranking members of United States House committees

| Chairs (Republican)| Ranking Members (Democratic)

|

* Administration: Bryan Steil
* Agriculture: Glenn Thompson
* Appropriations: Tom Cole
* Armed Services: Mike Rogers
* Artificial Intelligence (Task Force): Jay Obernolte
* Budget: Jodey Arrington
* Education and the Workforce: Virginia Foxx
* Energy and Commerce: Cathy McMorris Rodgers
* Ethics: Michael Guest
* Financial Services: Patrick McHenry
* Foreign Affairs: Mike McCaul
* Homeland Security: Mark Green
* Human Rights (Lantos Commission): Chris Smith
* Intelligence (Permanent Select): Mike Turner
* Judiciary: Jim Jordan
* Natural Resources: Bruce Westerman
* Oversight and Accountability: Jim Comer
* Rules: Michael C. Burgess
* Science, Space and Technology: Frank Lucas
* Small Business: Roger Williams
* Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (Select): John Moolenaar
* Transportation and Infrastructure: Sam Graves
* Trump Assassination Attempt (Task Force): Mike Kelly
* Veterans' Affairs: Mike Bost
* Ways and Means: Jason Smith

* Administration: Joseph Morelle
* Agriculture: David Scott
* Appropriations: Rosa DeLauro
* Armed Services: Adam Smith
* Artificial Intelligence (Task Force): Ted Lieu
* Budget: Brendan Boyle
* Education and the Workforce: Bobby Scott
* Energy and Commerce: Frank Pallone
* Ethics: Susan Wild
* Financial Services: Maxine Waters
* Foreign Affairs: Gregory Meeks
* Homeland Security: Bennie Thompson
* Human Rights (Lantos Commission): Jim McGovern
* Intelligence (Permanent Select): Jim Himes
* Judiciary: Jerry Nadler
* Natural Resources: Raúl Grijalva
* Oversight and Accountability: Jamie Raskin
* Rules: Jim McGovern
* Science, Space and Technology: Zoe Lofgren
* Small Business: Nydia Velázquez
* Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (Select): Raja Krishnamoorthi
* Transportation and Infrastructure: Rick Larsen
* Trump Assassination Attempt (Task Force): Jason Crow
* Veterans' Affairs: Mark Takano
* Ways and Means: Richard Neal

* v
* t
* e

Kentucky's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators|

* ▌Mitch McConnell (R)
* ▌Rand Paul (R)

Representatives
(ordered by district)|

* ▌James Comer (R)
* ▌Brett Guthrie (R)
* ▌Morgan McGarvey (D)
* ▌Thomas Massie (R)
* ▌Hal Rogers (R)
* ▌Andy Barr (R)

* v
* t
* e

Current members of the United States House of Representatives

Speaker: Mike Johnson

Majority|

* v
* t
* e

Republican Party conference

Speaker: Mike Johnson ‧ Majority Leader: Steve Scalise ‧ Majority Whip: Tom Emmer

* Other members: Aderholt
* Alford
* Allen
* Amodei
* Armstrong
* Arrington
* Babin
* Bacon
* Baird
* Balderson
* Banks
* Barr
* Bean
* Bentz
* Bergman
* Bice
* Biggs
* Bilirakis
* Bishop
* Boebert
* Bost
* Brecheen
* Buchanan
* Bucshon
* Burchett
* Burgess
* Burlison
* Calvert
* Cammack
* Carey
* Carl
* B. Carter
* J. Carter
* Chavez-DeRemer
* Ciscomani
* Cline
* Cloud
* Clyde
* Cole
* Collins
* Comer
* Crane
* Crawford
* Crenshaw
* Curtis
* Davidson
* De La Cruz
* DesJarlais
* D'Esposito
* Díaz-Balart
* Donalds
* Duarte
* Duncan
* Dunn
* Edwards
* Ellzey
* Estes
* Ezell
* Fallon
* Feenstra
* Ferguson
* Finstad
* Fischbach
* Fitzgerald
* Fitzpatrick
* Fleischmann
* Flood
* Fong
* Foxx
* Franklin
* Fry
* Fulcher
* Garbarino
* Garcia
* Giménez
* Gonzales
* Good
* Gooden
* Gosar
* Granger
* G. Graves
* S. Graves
* Green
* Greene
* Griffith
* Grothman
* Guest
* Guthrie
* Hageman
* Harris
* Harshbarger
* Hern
* Higgins
* Hill
* Hinson
* Houchin
* Hudson
* Huizenga
* Hunt
* Issa
* Jackson
* James
* D. Johnson
* Jordan
* D. Joyce
* J. Joyce
* Kean Jr.
* M. Kelly
* T. Kelly
* Kiggans
* Kiley
* Kim
* Kustoff
* LaHood
* LaLota
* LaMalfa
* Lamborn
* Langworthy
* Latta
* LaTurner
* Lawler
* Lee
* Lesko
* Letlow
* Lopez
* Loudermilk
* Lucas
* Luetkemeyer
* Luna
* Luttrell
* Mace
* Malliotakis
* Maloy
* Mann
* Massie
* Mast
* McCaul
* McClain
* McClintock
* McCormick
* McHenry
* McMorris Rodgers
* Meuser
* C. Miller
* Mar. Miller
* Max Miller
* Miller-Meeks
* Mills
* Molinaro
* Moolenaar
* Mooney
* Ba. Moore
* Bl. Moore
* Moran
* Murphy
* Nehls
* Newhouse
* Norman
* Nunn
* Obernolte
* Ogles
* Owens
* Palmer
* Pence
* Perry
* Pfluger
* Posey
* Reschenthaler
* H. Rogers
* M. Rogers
* Rose
* Rosendale
* Rouzer
* Roy
* Rulli
* Rutherford
* Salazar
* Schweikert
* Scott
* Self
* Sessions
* Simpson
* A. Smith
* C. Smith
* J. Smith
* Smucker
* Spartz
* Stauber
* Steel
* Stefanik
* Steil
* Steube
* Strong
* Tenney
* Thompson
* Tiffany
* Timmons
* Turner
* Valadao
* Van Drew
* Van Duyne
* Van Orden
* Wagner
* Walberg
* Waltz
* Weber
* Webster
* Wenstrup
* Westerman
* Wied
* B. Williams
* R. Williams
* Wilson
* Wittman
* Womack
* Yakym
* Zinke

* Delegates: González-Colón
* Moylan
* Radewagen

Minority|

* v
* t
* e

Democratic Party caucus

Minority Leader: Hakeem Jeffries ‧ Minority Whip: Katherine Clark

* Other members: Adams
* Aguilar
* Allred
* Amo
* Auchincloss
* Balint
* Barragán
* Beatty
* Bera
* Beyer
* Bishop
* Blumenauer
* Blunt Rochester
* Bonamici
* Bowman
* Boyle
* Brown
* Brownley
* Budzinski
* Bush
* Caraveo
* Carbajal
* Cárdenas
* Carson
* E. Carter
* T. Carter
* Cartwright
* Casar
* Case
* Casten
* Castor
* Castro
* Cherfilus-McCormick
* Chu
* Clarke
* Cleaver
* Clyburn
* Cohen
* Connolly
* Correa
* Costa
* Courtney
* Craig
* Crockett
* Crow
* Cuellar
* Davids
* Da. Davis
* Do. Davis
* Dean
* DeGette
* DeLauro
* DelBene
* Deluzio
* DeSaulnier
* Dingell
* Doggett
* Escobar
* Eshoo
* Espaillat
* Evans
* Fletcher
* Foster
* Foushee
* Frankel
* Frost
* Gallego
* Garamendi
* C. García
* R. Garcia
* S. Garcia
* Golden
* Goldman
* Gomez
* Gonzalez
* Gottheimer
* Green
* Grijalva
* Harder
* Hayes
* Himes
* Horsford
* Houlahan
* Hoyer
* Hoyle
* Huffman
* Ivey
* Je. Jackson
* Jo. Jackson
* Jacobs
* Jayapal
* Johnson
* Kamlager-Dove
* Kaptur
* Keating
* Kelly
* Kennedy
* Khanna
* Kildee
* Kilmer
* Kim
* Krishnamoorthi
* Kuster
* Landsman
* Larsen
* Larson
* B. Lee
* Sum. Lee
* Sus. Lee
* Leger Fernandez
* Levin
* Lieu
* Lofgren
* Lynch
* Magaziner
* Manning
* Matsui
* McBath
* McClellan
* McCollum
* McGarvey
* McGovern
* McIver
* Meeks
* Menendez
* Meng
* Mfume
* Moore
* Morelle
* Moskowitz
* Moulton
* Mrvan
* Mullin
* Nadler
* Napolitano
* Neal
* Neguse
* Nickel
* Norcross
* Ocasio-Cortez
* Omar
* Pallone
* Panetta
* Pappas
* Pelosi
* Peltola
* Perez
* Peters
* Pettersen
* Phillips
* Pingree
* Pocan
* Porter
* Pressley
* Quigley
* Ramirez
* Raskin
* Ross
* Ruiz
* Ruppersberger
* Ryan
* Salinas
* Sánchez
* Sarbanes
* Scanlon
* Schakowsky
* Schiff
* Schneider
* Scholten
* Schrier
* B. Scott
* D. Scott
* Sewell
* Sherman
* Sherrill
* Slotkin
* Smith
* Sorensen
* Soto
* Spanberger
* Stansbury
* Stanton
* Stevens
* Strickland
* Suozzi
* Swalwell
* Sykes
* Takano
* Thanedar
* B. Thompson
* M. Thompson
* Titus
* Tlaib
* Tokuda
* Tonko
* N. Torres
* R. Torres
* Trahan
* Trone
* Underwood
* Vargas
* Vasquez
* Veasey
* Velázquez
* Wasserman Schultz
* Waters
* Watson Coleman
* Wexton
* Wild
* Williams
* Wilson

* Delegates: Holmes Norton
* Plaskett
* Sablan

* 118th United States Congress
* List of acts of the 118th United States Congress

* v
* t
* e

Kentucky's delegation(s) to the 114th–present United States Congresses (ordered by seniority)

| 114th |

Senate: ▌M. McConnell (R) * ▌R. Paul (R)

House:

* ▌H. Rogers (R)
* ▌E. Whitfield (R)
* ▌J. Yarmuth (D)
* ▌B. Guthrie (R)
* ▌T. Massie (R)
* ▌A. Barr (R)
* ▌J. Comer (R)

|
|

115th |

Senate: ▌M. McConnell (R) * ▌R. Paul (R)

House:

* ▌H. Rogers (R)
* ▌J. Yarmuth (D)
* ▌B. Guthrie (R)
* ▌T. Massie (R)
* ▌A. Barr (R)
* ▌J. Comer (R)

116th |

Senate: ▌M. McConnell (R) * ▌R. Paul (R)

House:

* ▌H. Rogers (R)
* ▌J. Yarmuth (D)
* ▌B. Guthrie (R)
* ▌T. Massie (R)
* ▌A. Barr (R)
* ▌J. Comer (R)

117th |

Senate: ▌M. McConnell (R) * ▌R. Paul (R)

House:

* ▌H. Rogers (R)
* ▌J. Yarmuth (D)
* ▌B. Guthrie (R)
* ▌T. Massie (R)
* ▌A. Barr (R)
* ▌J. Comer (R)

118th |

Senate: ▌M. McConnell (R) * ▌R. Paul (R)

House:

* ▌H. Rogers (R)
* ▌B. Guthrie (R)
* ▌T. Massie (R)
* ▌A. Barr (R)
* ▌J. Comer (R)
* ▌M. McGarvey (D)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

People|

* US Congress

*[m.]: married
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template