Jerry Abramson
Jerry Edwin Abramson (born September 12, 1946) is an American Democratic politician who was the 55th lieutenant governor of Kentucky. On November 6, 2014, Governor Steve Beshear announced that Abramson would step down from his position as lieutenant governor to accept the job of Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Obama White House. He was replaced by former State Auditor Crit Luallen.
Jerry Abramson | |
|---|---|
| Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs | |
| In office November 17, 2014 – January 20, 2017 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | David Agnew |
| Succeeded by | Justin Clark |
| 55th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky | |
| In office December 13, 2011 – November 13, 2014 | |
| Governor | Steve Beshear |
| Preceded by | Daniel Mongiardo |
| Succeeded by | Crit Luallen |
| 51st President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office 1993–1994 | |
| Preceded by | William Althaus |
| Succeeded by | Victor Ashe |
| Mayor of Louisville | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | David Armstrong |
| Succeeded by | Greg Fischer |
| In office January 1, 1986 – January 1, 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Harvey Sloane |
| Succeeded by | David Armstrong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jerry Edwin Abramson September 12, 1946 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Madeline |
| Education | Indiana University, Bloomington (BS) Georgetown University (JD) |
Abramson previously served as the mayor of Louisville for an unprecedented two decades. He was the only three-term mayor of the old city of Louisville (1986–1999) and subsequently served two terms as the first mayor of the consolidated city-county of Louisville Metro (2003–2011).
Abramson's long period of service to Louisville as its mayor, as well as the weak opposition he faced in mayoral elections, led to the local nickname of "Mayor for life", a title frequently used by Louisville's own popular radio personality Terry Meiners. Abramson's popularity resulted in Bluegrass Poll approval ratings ranging from a 91 percent high in 1990 to a 73 percent low in 1994.
From 1993 to 1994, he was President of the United States Conference of Mayors. He was a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino.
At the conclusion of Obama's second term, Abramson returned to Louisville to serve as Executive-in-Residence at Bellarmine University. He had previously served in the same post in 2011. He departed Bellarmine University in 2018 and is currently serving as Executive-in-Residence at Spalding University.