John Yarmuth

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American politician (born 1947)

title: "John Yarmuth" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1947-births", "20th-century-american-jews", "20th-century-american-newspaper-publishers-(people)", "21st-century-american-jews", "21st-century-american-newspaper-publishers-(people)", "21st-century-united-states-representatives", "american-columnists", "american-magazine-founders", "american-magazine-publishers-(people)", "american-newspaper-founders", "american-people-of-austrian-jewish-descent", "american-people-of-russian-jewish-descent", "atherton-high-school-alumni", "democratic-party-united-states-representatives-from-kentucky", "editors-of-kentucky-newspapers", "jewish-american-people-in-kentucky-politics", "jewish-united-states-representatives", "living-people", "politicians-from-louisville,-kentucky", "school-board-members-in-kentucky", "yale-college-alumni"] description: "American politician (born 1947)" topic_path: "politics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Yarmuth" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American politician (born 1947) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
name	John Yarmuth
image	John Yarmuth official photo.jpg
office	Chair of the House Budget Committee
term_start	January 3, 2019
term_end	January 3, 2023
predecessor	Steve Womack
successor	Jodey Arrington
state1	Kentucky
district1
term_start1	January 3, 2007
term_end1	January 3, 2023
predecessor1	Anne Northup
successor1	Morgan McGarvey
birth_name	John Allan Yarmuth
birth_date
birth_place	Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
party	Republican (before 1985)
Democratic (1985–present)
spouse
children	1
education	Yale University (BA)
signature	John Yarmouth SVG signature.svg
module
::

| name = John Yarmuth | image = John Yarmuth official photo.jpg | office = Chair of the House Budget Committee | term_start = January 3, 2019 | term_end = January 3, 2023 | predecessor = Steve Womack | successor = Jodey Arrington | state1 = Kentucky | district1 = | term_start1 = January 3, 2007 | term_end1 = January 3, 2023 | predecessor1 = Anne Northup | successor1 = Morgan McGarvey | birth_name = John Allan Yarmuth | birth_date = | birth_place = Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican (before 1985) Democratic (1985–present) | spouse = | children = 1 | education = Yale University (BA) | signature = John Yarmouth SVG signature.svg | module = John Allan Yarmuth ( ; born November 4, 1947) is a retired American politician and newspaper editor who served as the U.S. representative for from 2007 to 2023. His district encompassed the vast majority of Louisville, Kentucky, which has shared the same borders with Jefferson County following a city-county merger in 2003. From 2013 onward, he had been the sole Democratic member of Kentucky's congressional delegation. Yarmuth chaired the House Budget Committee from 2019 to 2023. On October 12, 2021, he announced that he would not seek reelection in 2022.

Early life and education

Yarmuth was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of Edna E. (née Klein) and Stanley R. Yarmuth. He is descended from Jewish immigrants from Russia and Austria. He graduated from Atherton High School. He later graduated from Yale University, majoring in American studies.

Early career

Yarmuth worked as a legislative aide for Republican U.S. Senator Marlow Cook from 1971 to 1974, then returned to Louisville and launched his publishing career by founding Louisville Today, a magazine which operated from 1976 to 1982. He later worked as a vice president of university relations at the University of Louisville from 1983 to 1986, where he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa as an honoris causa initiate in 2014. In 1971, while Yarmuth was working for Senator Cook, he posed as a pin-up model for an April Fool's edition of Roll Call.

Yarmuth described himself as a Rockefeller Republican in his earlier years. He left the party during Ronald Reagan's presidency, saying, "I saw this unmistakable move away from moderation when he started hosting Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson and catering to the religious right".

In 1990, Yarmuth founded the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO), a weekly newspaper for which he wrote a generally liberal political column that usually ran on page one. In 2003, he sold LEO to a company owned by Times Publishing Company of Pennsylvania, owner of the Erie Times-News. Yarmuth remained on board as a columnist and consultant until January 2006, when he put his column on hiatus to run for Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Kentucky_Guard's_Agribusiness_Development_Team_returns_from_Afghanistan_110501-F-VT419-278.jpg" caption="Yarmuth in May 2011"] ::

Elections

2006

On January 31, 2006, Yarmuth filed candidacy papers to represent . He won the Democratic primary on May 16, defeating Andrew Horne, Burrell Charles Farnsley and James W. Moore, and defeated incumbent Anne Northup in the November general election.

On August 7, 2006, The Courier-Journal reported that The Hill revealed a week before that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had earmarked $51.5 million for television advertising in 32 congressional districts across the nation, but none for Yarmuth's challenge in the third congressional district.

On October 20, a Courier-Journal article stated that a WHAS11/SurveyUSA poll revealed the race had tightened dramatically, with Yarmuth leading Northup 48% to 47%. Another poll a month earlier had Northup leading by 6 points. A WHAS11/SurveyUSA poll released on November 2 showed Yarmuth leading Northup 52% to 44%.

On October 26, Yarmuth told Courier-Journal reporter Kay Stewart that he would donate his congressional salary—which would be $168,500 in 2007—to local charity.

Because polls close early in Kentucky, many analysts saw this race as a key indicator and it immediately became one of the most watched House races in the nation. Yarmuth received 122,139 votes (51%) to Northup's 116,157 (48%). Independent candidates garnered 2,896 (1%).

2008

Yarmuth ran unopposed in the primary, and faced Northup again in the general election. He won with 59% of the vote.

2010

Yarmuth was challenged by Republican Todd Lally and Independent Michael D. Hansen. He was reelected with 55% of the vote.

2012

Yarmuth was challenged by Republican Brooks Wicker and Independent candidate Robert L. Devore Jr. Yarmuth received 206,385 votes (63.96%) to Wicker's 111,452 (23.32%) and Devore's 4,819 (1.49%).

2014

In the 2014 general election, Yarmuth was challenged by Republican Michael McFarlane and Independent Gregory Puccetti. On October 6, 2014, Kentucky Educational Television hosted a debate that was broadcast live on Louisville's KET, and was moderated by KET host Bill Goodman. Yarmuth was reelected with 63.5% of the vote.

2016

Yarmuth was challenged by Republican Harold Bratcher and Independent Everett Corley. He won with 212,388 votes (63%) of the vote to Bratcher's 122,085 (37%). Corley received no votes.

2018

On April 17, 2017, Yarmuth announced that his candidacy for reelection in the 2018 election. During the campaign, he lobbied for the chairship of the House Budget Committee and promised to hold hearings on Medicare for all. Yarmuth was reelected with over 62% of the vote against Vickie Yates Glisson, Kentucky's former Secretary of Health and Family Services. After the Democrats took the House, Yarmuth became Budget Committee chair. In that position, he requested documents pertaining to the withholding of appropriated defense funds to Ukraine.

2020

Yarmuth was reelected to an eighth and final term with 62% of vote against Republican Rhonda Palazzo.

Tenure

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Yarmuth_(3596134348).jpg" caption="Yarmuth in 2009."] ::

Yarmuth took office on January 3, 2007.

After his first year in Congress, Yarmuth donated his post-tax congressional salary of just over $120,000 to various Louisville charities.

On February 8, 2008, Yarmuth endorsed Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

On September 29, 2008, Yarmuth voted against the TARP bailout plan, as negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, President George W. Bush, House Minority Leader John Boehner, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He voted for the second version of the bailout bill.

Yarmuth said he was so "nauseated" by a moment of silence for Michael Jackson on the House floor that he left the chamber. "I thought it was outrageous," he said. "In my two and a half years, we've not done this for anybody else. We've done it for former members and that's about it."

After winning a 2008 rematch with Anne Northup, his 2006 general election opponent, Yarmuth was rewarded by the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee with a spot on the influential Ways and Means Committee. On the committee, he worked on issues on which he campaigned before the 2008 election: Social Security, pension, Medicare, and Medicaid issues.

At a September 2009 town hall meeting, constituents were unhappy with Yarmuth's decision to support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. "Yarmuth stayed calm in the face of boos and catcalls from some in the audience" according to an Associated Press report. "He warned that the current health care system is an unsustainable drain on businesses and the nation's economy."

In 2011, Yarmuth and Walter Jones introduced a bill to overturn key parts of the controversial court case Citizens United v. FEC. The legislation would also give Congress the power to enact mandatory public financing for Congressional candidates and create a national holiday for voting purposes.

In 2011, Yarmuth voted against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 due to a controversial provision that allows the government and the military to indefinitely detain American citizens and others without trial.

In 2013, Yarmuth introduced the Fair Elections Now Act, which would establish a public financing system for Congressional campaigns.

In 2015, Yarmuth once again made an attempt at removing "dark money" from the political sphere by proposing HR 2125, the Keeping our Campaigns Honest Act of 2015.

Yarmuth signed onto a "Medicare for All" bill along with 120 other House Democrats in 2018, supporting single-payer healthcare.

Yarmuth became the first Kentuckian to join the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

On December 18, 2019, Yarmuth voted for both articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, the only House member from Kentucky to do so.

For his tenure as the chairman of the House Budget Committee in the 116th Congress, Yarmuth earned an "A" grade from the nonpartisan Lugar Center's Congressional Oversight Hearing Index.

In 2021, Yarmuth introduced to the House the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, President Joe Biden's first major piece of legislation.

On October 12, 2021, Yarmuth announced that he will retire from Congress at the end of his term in 2023.

Committee assignments

Committee on the Budget (chair)
Committee on Education and Labor

Party leadership

Regional Whip

Caucus memberships

Yarmuth's caucus memberships include:

Ohio River Basin Congressional Caucus (Co-chair)
Populist Caucus
Congressional Steel Caucus
Congressional Bike Caucus
Congressional Arts Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
Climate Solutions Caucus
Medicare for All Caucus
Blue Collar Caucus
House Pro-Choice Caucus

Electoral history

Television

In 2003, Yarmuth and former WHAS-AM radio talk show host John Ziegler debated political issues on the weekly WAVE program Yarmuth & Ziegler, with Yarmuth taking the liberal side and Ziegler the conservative side. On a successor program, Hot Button, which ran from September 2004 to December 2005, he faced off with conservative Jim Milliman.

Yarmuth appeared on the March 8, 2007, episode of The Colbert Report in the show's "Better Know a District" series. In a parody of Yarmuth's former Yarmuth & Ziegler debate series, host Stephen Colbert prodded Yarmuth into a point/counterpoint style debate. After agreeing to the "debate", Colbert forced Yarmuth to defend the shredding of kittens in wood chippers, which Yarmuth gamely proceeded to do. Colbert called Yarmuth a real-life Bruce Wayne, and presented him with a framed print of his congressional photo with a Batman mask photoshopped over his face.

Personal life

Yarmuth has served on many boards, including the Bingham Child Guidance Center and Kentucky Country Day School. He is Kentucky's first Jewish congressman. Yarmuth and his wife, Cathy Yarmuth, have one son, Aaron, who is a graduate of Kentucky Country Day. Aaron was the owner of the Louisville Eccentric Observer, and along with a group of local investors purchased the publication in 2012. In May 2021 it was sold to the Euclid Media Group.

References

(December 19, 2013). "Congressman John Yarmuth, Chairman". House Committee on the Budget.
(October 12, 2021). "House Budget Chair John Yarmuth announces retirement".
"yarmuth". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com.
[http://yarmuth.house.gov/johns-biography/ Official House Biography] {{Webarchive. link. (June 25, 2012 Retrieved July 5, 2012.)
(October 29, 2018). "GPO – Congressional Directory".
Hocking, Bree. (September 9, 2004). "'Pinups' Move on to Bigger Things".
Saksa, Jim. (October 5, 2022). "John Yarmuth 'waxes philosophical' (and warns not to eat the Jell-O)". [[Roll Call]].
Stewart, Kay. (August 7, 2006). "National Democratic campaign doesn't plan ads for Yarmuth". [[The Courier-Journal]].
Stewart, Kay. (October 20, 2006). "Poll: Northup, Yarmuth race in dead heat". [[The Courier-Journal]].
Hebert, Mark. (November 2, 2006). "Yarmuth ahead in new poll". whas11.com.
Stewart, Kay. (October 26, 2006). "Northup attacks Yarmuth's Wealth – Hypocrisy?". [[The Courier-Journal]].
Gerth, Joe. (January 16, 2008). "Roberts probably out, Northup considers return". [[The Courier-Journal]].
Schreiner, Bruce. (January 28, 2008). "Northup to run to regain former congressional seat, adviser says".
(January 28, 2008). "Northup Files To Run For Old Congressional Seat". Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc..
(November 5, 2008). "2008 General Election Results". CNN.
(November 2, 2010). "John Yarmuth wins Kentucky 3rd District". [[WDRB]].
(October 6, 2014). "Yarmuth and MacFarlane debate on KET". the Courier Journal.
"Live Results : 2016 KENTUCKY HOUSE ELECTION RESULTS".
(April 17, 2017). "Congressman John Yarmuth Running for reelection in 2018".
"courier journal". The Courier-Journal.
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"Vickie Yates Glisson".
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2019/11/26/two-omb-officials-resigned-voicing-concerns-over-ukraine-aid-hold-official-testifies/ Two OMB officials resigned in part over concerns about Ukraine aid hold, official testifies] {{Webarchive. link. (November 26, 2019 , ''[[Washington Post]]'', Erica Werner and Felicia Sonmez, November 26, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.)
"Yarmuth For Congress » Campaign Blog » Yarmuth Donates 2007 Congressional Salary to Louisville Non-Profit Organizations".
(February 9, 2008). "Yarmuth backs Obama in presidential race". Courier Journal.
Abdullah, Halimah. (September 29, 2008). "Four Congressmen vote No". [[Lexington Herald Leader]].
(October 3, 2008). "Yarmuth Thinks Bailout Bill Stinks, Votes For It Anyway". [[WHAS-TV]].
Petchenik, Mike. (November 2013). "Yarmuth 'Nauseated' By Jackson Tribute". WLKY.com.
"Yarmuth faces boisterous town hall meeting". WBKO.
Phillip M. Bailey. (December 20, 2011). "Yarmuth Introduces Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United Case". Archives.wfpl.org.
(December 16, 2011). "NDAA Bill: How Did Your Congress Member Vote?". Ibtimes.com.
"House Vote 291 – Passes the {{sic". [[The New York Times]].
(October 14, 2016). "Congressman John Yarmuth : Get Money Out of Politics".
(January 16, 2013). "Congressman John Yarmuth : Press : Rep. Yarmuth Introduces Public Financing Bill to Get Money Out of Politics".
"Keeping Our Campaigns Honest Act of 2015 (H.R. 2125)". GovTrack.us.
(February 25, 2018). "Democrats march toward single-payer health care".
"WHIP COUNT: Here's which members of the House voted for and against impeaching Trump".
"Congressional Oversight Hearing Index". The Lugar Center.
(March 10, 2021). "House Sends Yarmuth-Authored American Rescue Plan to President Biden's Desk, Billions in Aid Coming to Kentucky".
(October 12, 2021). "Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth Won't Seek Re-Election".
(October 15, 2016). "Congressman John Yarmuth : Committees".
"John Yarmuth, Representative for Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District". GovTrack.us.
"John A. Yarmuth Member Profile". Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
"Elected Official Detail Page". Municipal Association of South Carolina.
"Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus.
"Caucus Members". Congressional Progressive Caucus.
"90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby.
(August 19, 2021). "Members". House Pro Choice Caucus.
"2006 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2006 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2008 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2010 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2012 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2012 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2014 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2014 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2016 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
"2018 Primary and General Election Results". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
(November 20, 2020). "November 3, 2020 – Official 2020 General Election Results". [[Kentucky Secretary of State]].
Carroll, James R.. (March 9, 2007). "Yarmuth jokes on the 'Colbert Report'". [[The Courier-Journal]].
Tobin, Ben. (June 23, 2021). "Louisville publication LEO Weekly sold to Cleveland-based media company". [[Gannett]].

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