Mike Ward (American politician)

Mike Ward in 2018.

Ward was born in White Plains, New York on January 7, 1951. Ward's mother, Lukey Ward, was a political and civil rights activist, and Ward has often said publicly that he was born into politics. Lukey Ward was, along with her friend Georgia Davis, the day-to-day manager of the Kentucky chapter of Martin Luther King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In fact, she was at the Lorraine Motel, waiting to go to dinner with Dr. King, when he was assassinated. Ward's father, Jasper Ward III, was a well-known award-winning architect in Louisville. His buildings include the Student Center at the University of Louisville and the Jewish Doctors Office Building at Interstate 65 and Liberty Street. Mike Ward is also the great great grandson of Jasper D. Ward, a former 1800s Chicago Congressman.

Ward attended the University of Louisville, from which he earned a marketing degree. Before entering politics, he served as a sales executive.

From 1989 to 1993, Ward served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives representing the Highlands area of Louisville. In 1994, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, winning Kentucky's Third Congressional District seat that was being vacated by Romano L. Mazzoli. Ward was one of few Democrats to win an open seat in the Republican congressional landslide that year. Ward narrowly defeated a field of candidates including Charlie Owen in the primary, and defeated Republican nominee Susan Bush Stokes, a fellow member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, in the general election. His Campaign was directed by Kevin Geddings of Geddings Communications LLC of Washington, DC.

In 1996 Ward lost his seat in the general election to Republican Anne Northup. Ward did not run again for the seat. Ward was appointed by President Bill Clinton as the Associate Director of the Peace Corps and served through Clinton's second presidential term.

From 2001 to 2005, Ward hosted a talk radio show in Louisville that was a liberal counterweight to conservative talk radio programming.

Ward is President of WardCampaigns, Inc.

• United States Congress. "Mike Ward (id: W000139)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Appearances on C-SPAN