Vernie McGaha
Encyclopedia
Vernie D. McGaha is an American politician
and state senator
from Kentucky
's south central 15th district, which includes the counties of Adair
, Casey
, Pulaski
, and Russell
.
, the seat of Adair County. He graduated in 1965 from Adair County High School. He studied music
and in 1969 received a bachelor of science
degree from Campbellsville University
in Campbellsville
, the seat of Taylor County
in central Kentucky. In 1971, he received a master's degree
from Western Kentucky University
in Bowling Green
. From 1969 to 1986, McGaha was band director at Russell County High School in Russell Springs
. He was appointed principal of Union Chapel Elementary School from 1986 to 1987 and Russell County Middle School from 1988 to 1995. After he retired from professional education, McGaha said he felt the call of God
that he enter politics, adding that he delights in helping constituents "stuck in the red tape of government."
McGaha is a member of the New Hope Separate Baptist
Church in Russell Springs, where he serves as senior deacon, adult Sunday school
teacher, and pianist
. He is the lead singer and pianist of the Crossroads Quartet, a gospel
singing group in Russell Springs, which began in 1960 and performs mostly in Kentucky, Tennessee
, and Indiana
. McGaha's father, a baritone
, has also been a member of the group, which should not be confused with a barbershop quartet also called Crossroads
.
In an interview with the alumni magazine
, The Campbellsvillian, the Reverend John Chowning, a Campbellsville University administrator who has known McGaha since the late 1960s, describes the senator as committed to "a life of service very much in line with then many Christian
servant leaders among the more than 10,000 CU alumni around the world. . . . He has deep roots in the Christian faith and church, community, and family -- those things that are at the foundation of what has made our nation great. . . . He is a person of strong convictions and is known as an elected official who is accessible to the people and who has maintained close ties to his constituents."
McGaha and his wife, the former Connie Sue Smith, are the parents of two children.
and Natural Resources [Vice Chair], (2) Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection, (3) Appropriations
and Revenue, and (4) Education
[Vice Chair]. The chairman of the Education Committee is Kenneth W. Winters
, a Republican from Murray
, who is also a former president of McGaha's alma mater, Campbellsville University.
American politics
American politics is an area of study within the academic discipline of political science. It is primarily, but not exclusively, studied by researchers in the United States...
and state senator
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
's south central 15th district, which includes the counties of Adair
Adair County, Kentucky
Adair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population is 18,656. Its county seat is Columbia, Kentucky. The county is named for John Adair, then Speaker of the House in Kentucky and later Governor of Kentucky ....
, Casey
Casey County, Kentucky
Casey County is a county located in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2010, the population was 15,955. Its county seat is Liberty, Kentucky. The county is named for Colonel William Casey. It is the only Kentucky county entirely in Knobs region. Casey County is home to...
, Pulaski
Pulaski County, Kentucky
Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 63,063 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Somerset6. The county is named for Count Kazimierz Pułaski. Most of the county is a prohibition or dry county...
, and Russell
Russell County, Kentucky
Russell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 17,565 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Jamestown. The county is named for William Russell...
.
Biography
McGaha is the son of Schyler and Barbara McGaha of ColumbiaColumbia, Kentucky
Columbia is a city in Adair County, Kentucky, United States, just above Russell Creek. The area was settled around 1802 by Daniel Trabue. The post office was opened on April 1, 1806 by John Field, who also ran a local store. The population was 4,014 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of...
, the seat of Adair County. He graduated in 1965 from Adair County High School. He studied music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and in 1969 received a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Campbellsville University
Campbellsville University
Campbellsville University, also known as CU, is a private university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, the seat of Taylor County. Founded as Russell Creek Academy, a Baptist institution, the university currently enrolls more than 3,000 students and is open to students of all denominations...
in Campbellsville
Campbellsville, Kentucky
Campbellsville is a city in Taylor County, Kentucky, United States. The population within city limits was 10,498 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Taylor County, and the home of Campbellsville University...
, the seat of Taylor County
Taylor County, Kentucky
Taylor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 22,927. Its county seat is Campbellsville. The county is named for President Zachary Taylor, who served from 1849 to 1850. Taylor is a moist county...
in central Kentucky. In 1971, he received a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
in Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009...
. From 1969 to 1986, McGaha was band director at Russell County High School in Russell Springs
Russell Springs, Kentucky
Russell Springs is the largest city in Russell County, Kentucky, United States. Also is the Gateway to Lake Cumberland one of the largest man made lakes in the region, created by Wolf Creek Dam. The area has thrived since the 1850s as a health resort because of its location near a chalybeate spring...
. He was appointed principal of Union Chapel Elementary School from 1986 to 1987 and Russell County Middle School from 1988 to 1995. After he retired from professional education, McGaha said he felt the call of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
that he enter politics, adding that he delights in helping constituents "stuck in the red tape of government."
McGaha is a member of the New Hope Separate Baptist
Separate Baptist
The Separate Baptists were an 18th century group of Baptists in the United States, primarily in the South, that grew out of the Great Awakening....
Church in Russell Springs, where he serves as senior deacon, adult Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
teacher, and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. He is the lead singer and pianist of the Crossroads Quartet, a gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
singing group in Russell Springs, which began in 1960 and performs mostly in Kentucky, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. McGaha's father, a baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
, has also been a member of the group, which should not be confused with a barbershop quartet also called Crossroads
Crossroads (quartet)
Crossroads is the barbershop quartet that won the International Quartet Championship for 2009 at the Barbershop Harmony Society's annual international convention, in Anaheim, California...
.
In an interview with the alumni magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
, The Campbellsvillian, the Reverend John Chowning, a Campbellsville University administrator who has known McGaha since the late 1960s, describes the senator as committed to "a life of service very much in line with then many Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
servant leaders among the more than 10,000 CU alumni around the world. . . . He has deep roots in the Christian faith and church, community, and family -- those things that are at the foundation of what has made our nation great. . . . He is a person of strong convictions and is known as an elected official who is accessible to the people and who has maintained close ties to his constituents."
McGaha and his wife, the former Connie Sue Smith, are the parents of two children.
Committees
Senator McGaha serves on these committees: (1) AgricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and Natural Resources [Vice Chair], (2) Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection, (3) Appropriations
Appropriation (law)
In law and government, appropriation is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage, to the exclusion of all other uses....
and Revenue, and (4) Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
[Vice Chair]. The chairman of the Education Committee is Kenneth W. Winters
Kenneth W. Winters
Kenneth W. Winters is a Republican member of the Kentucky State Senate from Murray in western Kentucky, who formerly served as president of Baptist-affiliated Campbellsville University....
, a Republican from Murray
Murray, Kentucky
Murray is a city in Calloway County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 17,741 at the 2010 census and has a micropolitan area population of 37,191. It is the 22nd largest city in Kentucky...
, who is also a former president of McGaha's alma mater, Campbellsville University.