# James Comer *American politician; U.S. Representative for Kentucky's 1st congressional district; chair of the House Oversight Committee* James Richardson Comer Jr. (born August 19, 1972) has represented Kentucky's 1st congressional district in the U.S. House since 2016. He is a member of the [[Republican Party (United States)]].[^1] Before entering Congress he sat in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 2000 to 2012 and was Kentucky's commissioner of agriculture from 2012 to 2016.[^1] As chairman of the [[House Oversight]] Committee, he sent the committee's staff report on fraud in [[Minnesota]] to Vice President [[JD Vance]] under a letter dated June 7, 2026.[^2][^3] The staff report, *[[The Cost of Doing Nothing]]: How Tim Walz and Keith Ellison Fueled Minnesota's Fraud Explosion*, names Governor [[Tim Walz]] and Attorney General [[Keith Ellison]] in its title.[^3] The report led to a referral from Vance to Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the [[National Fraud Enforcement Division]]. That referral was reported on June 8, 2026.[^3] The record does not establish what the referral has produced since.[^3] Wikipedia's account of his chairmanship, which began in 2023, reports two things. Comer opened an investigation into President Joe Biden and his family, and he declined or halted inquiries into former president Donald Trump.[^1] The same account reports that, as of August 2024, the Biden inquiry had produced no evidence of Biden's direct involvement in, or profit from, his family's business dealings.[^1] After Biden left the 2024 race, Comer opened inquiries into the new Democratic nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Walz.[^1] ## Early life and education Comer is a native of Carthage, Tennessee. He was raised in Monroe County, Kentucky, and finished Monroe County High School in Tompkinsville in 1990.[^1] He earned a BS in Agriculture from Western Kentucky University in 1993. While in college he was president of the Kentucky Future Farmers of America.[^1] He and his family then started a 2,300-acre farm, James Comer, Jr. Farms, and he co-owns Comer Land & Cattle Co.[^1] He was a director of the South Central Bank for 12 years and was president of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce from 1999 to 2000.[^1] ## Early career ### Kentucky House of Representatives Comer won a seat in the Kentucky House in 2000, at age 27, after incumbent Billy Polston retired. In the Republican primary he defeated Polston's wife, Donnie Polston.[^1] ### Kentucky commissioner of agriculture In 2011 Comer ran for agriculture commissioner. The incumbent, Richie Farmer, was term-limited and could not run.[^1] Comer was the only Republican elected to a statewide executive office that year. He raised $606,766 against his opponent's $204,287 and took office in January 2012.[^1] Early in his term he worked with Democratic auditor Adam Edelen on an inquiry into the ethics of his Republican predecessor.[^1] Comer chaired the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission and set up hemp pilot programs. He also sued the DEA, a suit that resulted in hemp seed being delivered to Kentucky farmers.[^1] Kentucky's hemp acreage rose from 33 acres in 2014 to 1,700 acres in 2015.[^1] ## Gubernatorial campaigns ### 2015 Comer announced his run for the Republican nomination for governor of Kentucky on August 2, 2014, at the Fancy Farm picnic. His running mate was state senator Christian McDaniel.[^1] After the May 19, 2015 primary he trailed Matt Bevin by 83 votes. He sought a recanvass, which Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes ordered to begin on May 28.[^1] The recanvass left Bevin 83 votes ahead. On May 29, Comer said he would not seek a recount and conceded.[^1] ### 2027 On May 7, 2026, in Greenup County, Comer said he intended to run for governor in 2027. He said he would likely make a formal announcement at the end of the year.[^1] ## U.S. House of Representatives Comer won the 2016 Republican primary in Kentucky's 1st district with 60.6% of the vote.[^1] Ed Whitfield had resigned in September, so Comer stood in two elections on November 8, 2016. One was a special election for the rest of Whitfield's term and the other was for a full term. He defeated Democrat Samuel L. Gaskins in both, taking 72.6% of the vote for the full term.[^1] In the House, Comer created an agriculture fellowship program with Murray State University. He voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and was an original cosponsor of the Hemp Farming Act.[^1] ## House Oversight Committee and Minnesota ### Staff report and transmittal The committee first released its Minnesota staff report on March 4, 2026, as a 54-page document. It was expanded into a 205-page report released in June 2026.[^3] Comer's letter to Vance accompanying the Minnesota report is dated June 7, 2026.[^2] ### Hearing Comer opened a committee hearing on Minnesota fraud with Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison. The committee published his opening statement.[^4] ### Referral Vance's referral to McDonald was first reported on June 8, 2026, with wider press coverage on June 8–9.[^3] The project's record has not tied the referral letter's own date to a primary document. It places that date between Comer's June 7 transmittal and the June 8 report.[^3][^2] ### Submissions to the Chairman Two of the project's documents are addressed to McDonald, Vance and Chairman Comer: *How Minnesota Got Here* and *The Instrument No One Will Name*.[^5][^3] *How Minnesota Got Here* is framed as a submission from Minneapolis Television Network. Its seventh section responds to the committee's review request on social-services reimbursements and enrollment verification from 2019 to the present.[^5] ## Political positions Wikipedia reports the following positions. Comer supports repeal of the Affordable Care Act. He opposes amnesty and sanctuary cities and supports Executive Order 13767, which directed construction of a wall on the Mexico–U.S. border.[^1] He is anti-abortion and opposes same-sex marriage. He voted against the Equality Act in 2019 and the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022.[^1] He opposes paid parental leave for federal workers and supports removing marijuana from Schedule 1. In 2015 he said he did not believe in climate change.[^1] ## Personal life Comer is married to Tamara Jo "TJ" Comer, and they have three children. He is a member of Elkhorn Baptist Church in Midway, Kentucky.[^1] In 2015 he paid $128,000 for a half interest in six acres of Kentucky land bought from a major donor to his campaigns. In 2017 he moved that interest to Farm Team Properties, a company he owns with his wife.[^1] The Associated Press reported in 2023 that Comer had valued the company at no less than $500,000 in 2022. By 2023 he reported owning about 1,600 acres.[^1] In 2020 he drew criticism for stock trades made ahead of the market crash tied to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].[^1] In May 2015 a woman he had dated in 1993 accused him of physical and mental abuse. Comer has said he believes the accusation was a political stunt aimed at his campaign for governor.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### When - March 4, 2026: the staff report's first 54-page release.[^3] - June 2026: the expanded 205-page report.[^3] - June 7, 2026: Comer's transmittal letter to Vance.[^2] - June 8, 2026: the Vance referral first reported.[^3] ### Who - Chairman James Comer; Vice President JD Vance; Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald, National Fraud Enforcement Division.[^2][^3] - Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, named in the report's title and in the hearing release.[^3][^4] ### What - The staff report *The Cost of Doing Nothing*, Comer's letter transmitting it, and Vance's referral.[^2][^3] - A committee hearing on Minnesota fraud opened by Comer.[^4] ## See also - [[National Fraud Enforcement Division]] - [[Republican Party (United States)]] - [[JD Vance]] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *James Comer* (revision 1380580798, retrieved 2026-10-26) — biography, electoral history, positions and personal finances as summarized there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Comer [^2]: Chairman James Comer, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, *Letter to JD Vance to accompany MN report* (June 7, 2026) — transmittal of the committee's Minnesota report to the Vice President. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Letter-to-JD-Vance-to-accompany-MN-report.pdf [^3]: Project master, *The Instrument No One Will Name* (densified, 2026-06-18), note [1] — the staff report's title, its 54-page March 4, 2026 release and 205-page June 2026 expansion, the June 7 transmittal, and Vance's referral to AAG McDonald reported June 8, 2026, with the referral letter's own date not yet confirmed. Validated pack passage (primary-confirmed); the pack gives no separate URL. [^4]: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, *Comer Opens Hearing on Minnesota Fraud with Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison* (release; date not given in the pack) — Comer's opening statement at the hearing. https://oversight.house.gov/release/comer-opens-hearing-on-minnesota-fraud-with-governor-walz-and-attorney-general-ellison/ [^5]: Project master, *How Minnesota Got Here* (merged master, footnoted) — addressees (AAG McDonald, the Vice President, Chairman Comer) and §7's response to the committee's review request on social-services reimbursements and enrollment verification, 2019 to the present. Validated pack passage; the pack gives no separate URL.