Upon his election to Congress in November of 2016, James Comer came to Washington ready to fight on behalf of the people of the 1st Congressional District. Spanning from the Mississippi River in Fulton all the way to Liberty in Central Kentucky, the 1st District is home to 35 counties with their own distinct identity and local treasures.
Comer grew up in rural Monroe County and later attended Western Kentucky University to study his lifelong passion- Agriculture. Upon graduation in 1993, Comer entered the business world, taking out a loan to purchase his first farm and dive into his career. Today, that business - Comer Farms - is one of the largest farming operations in south central Kentucky.
After his first election in 2000, Comer served for six terms as a member of the Kentucky State House, where he was lauded for his success as a legislator. He was named the National Republican Freshman Legislator of the Year during his first term and was regarded as one of the most conservative, pro-business legislators in Frankfort.
Upon being elected Kentucky's Commissioner of Agriculture in 2011, Comer cleaned up the Kentucky Department of Agriculture which was beset by scandal, corruption and a lack of accountability. His work to root out wasteful spending and fraud, return taxpayer dollars to the treasury and grow Kentucky's agricultural economy received bipartisan acclaim. He promoted rural economic development by spearheading the successful effort to legalize industrial hemp in the Commonwealth and developed new branding initiatives for Kentucky farmers.
This record of conservatism, accomplishment and bipartisanship is exactly what Comer has brought to Washington D.C. In the 115th Congress, he played a pivotal role on the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee, paving the way for removing hemp from the controlled substances list and helping pass a Farm Bill that protects crop insurance, provides relief for dairy farmers and provides certainty and stability for American farmers. For these efforts, he was named Outstanding New Member of Congress by the American Farm Bureau Federation in January 2019.
Congressman Comer has sponsored and passed legislation aimed at lifting burdensome regulations, bolstering government accountability and transparency and creating opportunity for our nation's hard-working families. He was a proud supporter of the VA Mission Act, a bill that comprehensively reforms the VA to better serve our nation's heroes. Congressman Comer remains a fierce advocate for balancing the federal budget, rebuilding our nation's infrastructure, implementing business-friendly policies and serving as a faithful steward of taxpayer dollars. These remain his chief priorities in the 116th Congress, where he is a member of the Agriculture, Oversight and Reform, and Education and Labor Committees. Additionally, he serves as the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Reform Committee's Subcommittee on the Environment, and the Education and Labor Committee's Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services.
He is married to TJ Comer and they have three children - Reagan, 14, Harlan, 11, and Aniston, 7. He is proud to call the 1st District home and is continually grateful for the opportunity to represent its citizens in the House of Representatives.
