Gary Abernathy
Highland County Commissioner
In office
July 2, 2018 (2018-07-02)[1] – October 2, 2020 (2020-10-02)[1]
Serving with
  • Jeff Duncan
  • Terry Britton
Preceded byShane Wilkin[1]
Succeeded byDavid T. Daniels[2]
Personal details
Born1956 (age 67–68)[3]
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLora Abernathy[4]
ResidenceLoveland, Ohio[5]
EducationLynchburg-Clay High School[6]
Occupation
  • Journalist
  • political commentator
Websitegaryabernathymedia.com

Gary Abernathy (born 1956[3]) is an American political commentator who writes a nationally syndicated column for The Washington Post and makes frequent appearances on the PBS NewsHour. A former newspaper editor and state Republican Party official, he is noted for his politically conservative views from a rural perspective.[7]

Early life and education

Abernathy grew up on a farm in Hamer Township, Highland County, Ohio (between Fairview and Danville). He graduated from Lynchburg-Clay High School in 1974.[3][6]

Career

Abernathy began his career as a reporter at the Hillsboro Press Gazette (now The Times-Gazette). He became the city editor there in 1983, then the editor in 1985. In 1991, he left the Press Gazette to serve as city editor of The Marion Star. In 1993, he moved to the Portsmouth Daily Times, where he served as managing editor until 1996.[4][8]

In January 1998, Abernathy became the Ohio Republican Party's communications director.[9] In October 2001, Abernathy was appointed as the West Virginia Republican Party's executive director. He was dismissed in 2004 after alleging that the party's chairman, Kris Warner, had overspent on his brother Monty's gubernatorial campaign. He returned as executive director in 2008.[10] Through his Dayton-based consultancy, Abernathy Strategies,[11] he also served as an advisor to John McCain,[12] West Virginia State Senator Russ Weeks,[13] and Senate candidate John Raese.[14] He has also worked for U.S. Senators George Voinovich[15] and Rob Portman[16] and an Ohio congressman.[3]

In 2011, Abernathy was named publisher of the Times-Gazette and Highland County Shopper. In 2015, he became the papers' publisher and editor.[4] He led the Times-Gazette in giving Donald Trump a rare newspaper endorsement in the 2016 presidential election, which was unremarkable among the paper's Highland County readers but attracted international attention.[17][18] In 2017, The Washington Post added Abernathy as a contributing columnist to diversify its editorial pages with a conservative viewpoint from outside the Beltway. He began writing two to three columns a month, which the Washington Post Writers Group distributes to hundreds of newspapers across the U.S.[7] He also began making appearances on the PBS NewsHour as a political analyst, substituting for David Brooks.[19]

On July 2, 2018, the Highland County Republican Central Committee appointed Abernathy to replace Shane Wilkin on the Board of County Commissioners. Abernathy resigned as publisher and editor of the Times-Gazette to serve as a commissioner. He was confirmed in a general election later that year. He resigned on October 2, 2020, to move to the Cincinnati area.[20][1]

Personal life

Abernathy lives in Loveland, Ohio,[5] with his wife, Lora. They have four children.[4]

Abernathy was a member of the Hillsboro Rotary Club for 10 years until 2020.[21]

Several years ago, Abernathy occasionally performed with a band as an Elvis tribute artist, sometimes at political functions. He became a fan after watching the Elvis Comeback Special in 1968.[10][22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Forsha, Caitlin (September 9, 2020). "Gary Abernathy stepping down as Highland County commissioner". The Highland County Press. Hillsboro, Ohio. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  2. ↑ Forsha, Caitlin (October 28, 2020). "Republican Central Committee appoints Daniels to county commission". The Highland County Press. Hillsboro, Ohio. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Abernathy feels experiences give him advantage". The Times-Gazette. Hillsboro, Ohio. November 1, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Abernathy named publisher and editor of Times Gazette" (Press release). Davidson, North Carolina: Civitas Media. April 8, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Sewell, Dan (April 1, 2022). "Tim Ryan benefits from 'cavalcade of clowns' in Senate race". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Gilliland, Jeff (June 16, 2017). "Andy Richmond: A man among boys". The Times-Gazette. Hillsboro, Ohio. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Spinner, Jackie (April 10, 2018). "Editorial pages in 'Trump Country' respond to demand for new columnists". Columbia Journalism Review. New York City. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Times-Gazette owners, publishers, editors through the years". Times-Gazette. Hillsboro, Ohio. June 18, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Abernathy to lead West Virginia GOP". Columbus Business First. Columbus, Ohio: American City Business Journals. October 29, 2001. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  10. 1 2 Porterfield, Mannix (December 11, 2008). "Gary Abernathy back as GOP executive director". The Register-Herald. Beckley, West Virginia. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  11. ↑ Porterfield, Mannix (November 6, 2006). "Green outspending Weeks in 9th District battle". The Register-Herald. Beckley, West Virginia. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  12. ↑ Messina, Lawrence (February 6, 2008). "Huckabee captures state GOP convention". Times West Virginian. Fairmont, West Virginia. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  13. ↑ Messina, Lawrence (October 24, 2008). "Manchin campaign spending increases". Times West Virginian. Fairmont, West Virginia. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  14. ↑ Hulse, Carl (October 26, 2016). "Candidates Show Strain of Tough Election Season". The New York Times. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  15. ↑ Outten, Bridgette (June 22, 2010). "Clark County commissioners discuss local projects with Voinovich representative". Springfield News-Sun. Springfield, Ohio. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  16. ↑ Derysh, Igor (July 10, 2021). "Ohio's GOP Senate contenders desperately try to out-Trump each other — it could hurt them". Salon.com. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  17. ↑ Weiser, Carl (October 27, 2016). "This Ohio paper is one of only six to endorse Donald Trump". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  18. ↑ Arrieta-Kenna, Ruairí (October 26, 2016). "These Are the Only 6 Newspapers in the Country to Endorse Donald Trump". Politico. Arlington County, Virginia. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Gary Abernathy". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Staff changes at The Times-Gazette". The Times-Gazette. Hillsboro, Ohio. July 20, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Abernathy resigns from Rotary". The Times-Gazette. Hillsboro, Ohio. September 29, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  22. ↑ Porterfield, Mannix (August 16, 2007). "Elvis impressionist pauses to remember the King". The Register-Herald. Beckley, West Virginia. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
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