Abramson, Jerry, 1946-

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.

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.
Born, Jerry Edwin Abramson,
September 12, 1946 (age 74),
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.

Jerry Abramson,
Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Jerry Abramson currently serves as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. In this role, Jerry oversees the Obama administration’s domestic agenda with state, city, county, and tribal elected officials across the country.

Jerry takes on the role of Director of Intergovernmental Affairs having served in state, city, and county governments in Kentucky. Jerry is the former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky having served alongside Governor Steve Beshear from 2011 until 2014. Prior to entering state government, Jerry held the role of longest-serving mayor of Louisville with 21 years of service. He served three terms as mayor of the old city of Louisville (1986-1999) and two terms as the first mayor of the consolidated city-county of Louisville Metro (2003-2010), earning the nickname “Mayor for Life.” During his time as mayor, Jerry was President of the United States Conference of Mayors.

Jerry started his public service as an Alderman of the City of Louisville for two terms, and thereafter as Counsel to the Governor of Kentucky, John Y. Brown, Jr. In the private sector, Jerry practiced law with Greenebaum Doll & McDonald, and thereafter with Frost Brown Todd. Throughout his career, Jerry taught classes at the University of Louisville’s School of Law and at Bellarmine University. In 2011, Jerry held the position of Executive in Residence at Bellarmine University and taught several undergraduate courses.

Jerry received his bachelor’s degree in business economics and public policy at Indiana University, where he chaired the state’s College Students for Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 Presidential campaign. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center where he was a member of the Center’s Law Journal. Jerry and his wife Madeline have one son, Sidney.