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
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2021
Preceded by	Dean Schamore
Personal details
Born	(1979-02-03) February 3, 1979 (age 46)
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

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

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

Calloway was elected from Kentucky's 11th House district, which includes Breckenridge and Hardin counties.[1]

Elections

• 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

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

1. "Legislator-Profile - Legislative Research Commission". legislature.ky.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
2. "Josh Calloway's Biography". Vote Smart. Archived from the original on 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
3. "Media". pleasantviewky.net. Pleasant View Baptist Church. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
4. "Calloway to again challenge Schamore in state House election". The News-Enterprise. 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
5. "Josh Calloway". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
6. Barton, Ryland (2020-11-04). "Kentucky Republicans Win Big In Statehouse Elections". 89.3 WFPL News Louisville. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
7. "Commonwealth of Kentucky November 5, 2024, Official General Election Results" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. p. 34. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
8. Bruce Schreiner, House passes bill to legalize sports betting in Kentucky, Associated Press (March 18, 2022).
9. "Governor bans use of 'conversion therapy' on LGBTQ+ minors in Kentucky". Associated Press. September 18, 2024.
10. Krista Johnson, 'School choice': Bill would amend Kentucky Constitution to fund charter schools, Louisville Courier Journal (January 9, 2024).
11. Bruce Schreiner, School-choice advocates mount broader effort in Kentucky, Associated Press (February 8, 2023).