Josh Calloway
Josh Calloway | |
|---|---|
 Calloway at the 2024 Hazlitt Summit hosted by Young Americans for Liberty Foundation | |
| Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from the 10th district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Dean Schamore |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 3, 1979 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Eastern Kentucky University |
| Committees | Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs Economic Development and Workforce Investment Primary and Secondary Education |
Josh Calloway (born February 3, 1979) is an American politician from Kentucky. A member of the Republican Party, he has been a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives since January 2021. He represents Kentucky's 11th House district, which includes Breckenridge and Hardin counties.
Early life and education
[edit]Calloway was born February 3, 1979.[1] He grew up in Fordsville, Kentucky, but currently resides in Irvington. He earned a certification in health and safety from Eastern Kentucky University.[2]
Career
[edit]Prior to entering politics, he worked for the National Office Furniture and the Protech EIS Corporation.[2] He has also been a preacher, volunteer jail chaplain, music director, and piano player at Pleasant View Baptist Church.[3] As of 2019, he was also director of Hope Through Truth Ministries and the Hope Academy, a transitional living home for at-risk men.[4]
Political career
[edit]Calloway was elected from Kentucky's 11th House district, which includes Breckenridge and Hardin counties.[1]
Elections
[edit]- 2018 Calloway was unopposed in the 2018 Republican primary but was defeated in the 2018 Kentucky House of Representatives election by incumbent Dean Schamore.[5]
- 2020 Calloway was unopposed in the 2020 Republican primary and won the 2020 Kentucky House of Representatives election against incumbent Dean Schamore, winning with 11,624 votes.[5][6]
- 2022 Calloway was unopposed in the 2022 Republican primary and won the 2022 Kentucky House of Representatives election against independent candidate John Whipple, winning with 11,516 votes.[5]
- 2024 Calloway won the 2024 Republican primary against challenger Julie Cantwell, winning with 2,773 votes, and won the 2024 Kentucky House of Representatives election with 15,702 votes (69%) against Democratic candidate John Whipple.[7]
Tenure
[edit]In 2022, Calloway opposed legislation to legalize sports betting in Kentucky.[8] Although Republicans held a supermajority in both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly, the party was split on the issue of gambling.[8]
In 2024, he criticized Governor Andy Beshear for issuing an executive order to ban conversion therapy for LGBT youth.[9] Calloway said the order defied the will of the legislature. Republican lawmakers had repeatedly blocked efforts to ban conversion therapy.[9]
In 2024, Calloway introduced legislation (House Bill 208) to propose an amendment to the Kentucky Constitution to allow public funds to be allocated to charter schools.[10][11] The state constitution currently allows education appropriations to go to "common schools" only, which the Kentucky Supreme Court has interpreted to mean public schools.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Legislator-Profile - Legislative Research Commission". legislature.ky.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
- ^ a b "Josh Calloway's Biography". Vote Smart. Archived from the original on 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
- ^ "Media". pleasantviewky.net. Pleasant View Baptist Church. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
- ^ "Calloway to again challenge Schamore in state House election". The News-Enterprise. 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
- ^ a b c "Josh Calloway". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
- ^ Barton, Ryland (2020-11-04). "Kentucky Republicans Win Big In Statehouse Elections". 89.3 WFPL News Louisville. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
- ^ "Commonwealth of Kentucky November 5, 2024, Official General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. p. 34. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ a b Bruce Schreiner, House passes bill to legalize sports betting in Kentucky, Associated Press (March 18, 2022).
- ^ a b "Governor bans use of 'conversion therapy' on LGBTQ+ minors in Kentucky". Associated Press. September 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Krista Johnson, 'School choice': Bill would amend Kentucky Constitution to fund charter schools, Louisville Courier Journal (January 9, 2024).
- ^ Bruce Schreiner, School-choice advocates mount broader effort in Kentucky, Associated Press (February 8, 2023).