John "Bam" Carney

John Mitchel Owen "Bam" Carney
Kentucky State Representative for Adair and Taylor counties
In office January 2009 – July 17, 2021
Preceded by	Russell Glen Mobley
Succeeded by	Michael "Sarge" Pollock
Majority Leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office January 1, 2019 – January 5, 2021
Preceded by	Jonathan Shell
Succeeded by	Steven Rudy
Born	September 30, 1969 Taylor County, Kentucky
Died	July 27, 2021 (aged 51) Lexington, Kentucky
Resting place	Eastridge Cemetery in Feathersburg, Adair County
Political party	Republican Parents: Ronnie Ladon "Don" and June Gabehart Carney
Spouse(s)	Divorced from Jenifer Martin Carney
Children	Chase and Ethan Carney
Residence	Campbellsville, Kentucky
Alma mater	Berea College Campbellsville University Eastern Kentucky University
Occupation	Educator
Religion	Christian

John Mitchel Owen Carney, known as Bam Carney (September 30, 1969 – July 17, 2021), was a Republican state representative for Adair and Taylor counties with service from 2009 until his death in office. The winner of the 2008 general election, Carney succeeded fellow Republican Russell Glen Mobley (1933-2018), who held the seat from 2000 until 2009.

Both Carney and Mobley had backgrounds in education, Carney as a basketball coach in area public schoo]s and Mobley at Campbellsville University in Campbellsville in Taylor County, at which he supervised theatre arts for more than two decades.

Background

A native of the Yuma/Speck Ridge community, Carney was the son of Ronnie Ladon "Don" Carney (1945-1998) and the former June Gabehart. His maternal grandparents were the late Walness J. "Bug" Gabehart (1926-1977) and the former Irene Eastridge (1926-2006) of Casey Creek, Kentucky. Carney and his grandfather both died at the age of fifty-one. His paternal grandparents were Stanley, Jr., and Christine Carney of Columbia in Adair County. Carney attended elementary school at Knifley (pronounced NIFF LEE), and then graduated from Taylor County High School in Campbellsville. In 1991, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with an emphasis also in political science from Berea (Kentucky) College. He later earned teacher certification from Campbellsville University and a Master of Arts degree in educational instructional leadership from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky.

Carney was divorced from the former Jenifer Martin (born May 1, 1968), originally from Springfield, Kentucky. The couple has two sons, Chase of Seattle, Washington and Ethan of Campbellsville. He was a member of the Living Grace, Three Trees evangelical Christian churches, and the Living Word Church. His brother, Mark Carney, is the clerk of Taylor County.

Career

Carney, a former coach, taught social studies at Taylor County High School in Campbellsville while he simultaneously served in the part-time state legislature. He was previously a social studies teacher and head basketball coach at Washington County High School in Springfield, Kentucky. Previously, he was employed for five years for the Campbellsville Municipal Water Department.

In a news release announcing his candidacy, Carney said that he would concentrate his endeavors on public schools, higher education, health care, the infrastructure, and jobs creation. He pledged to build a strong relationship with area state Senators Vernie McGaha, who has since retired, and Dan Kelly. He promised to work to bring several local projects to fruition. Carney formed an advisory team of both Democrats and Republicans from Adair and Taylor counties.

With Mobley's support, Carney won the Republican nomination in May 2008 over two opponents from Campbellsville. He led the primary with 1,925 votes (41.3 percent). Asa James Swan and Russell Montgomery, a former Democrat, trailed with 1,636 votes (35.1 percent) and 1,097 (23.6 percent), respectively.

Runoffs are not required for party nominations in Kentucky. In the general election, Carney defeated Billy Joe Fudge (born April 12, 1951) of Columbia, a replacement Democrat opponent, after the unopposed party nominee, Stephen Doug Mullins (born February 4, 1944) of Campbellsville, withdrew because of health considerations. Carney received 16,105 votes (54.4 percent) to Fudge's 12,263 (41.4 percent). A third candidate polled 1,239 votes (4.2 percent).

Death at 51

Carney died in 2021 of pancreatitis, which he contracted in 2019 and underwent many medical procedures, including fifty-five days in intensive care in an effort to save his life Not long after he returned to his Campbellsville home, he returned to the hospital and soon died.

United States Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, a Moderate Republican who has held the Senate seat in Kentucky since 1985, said upon Carney's death that the lawmaker was "a passionate public servant whose devotion to his fellow Kentuckians knew no bounds. He uplifted the lives of his constituents through more than a decade of hard work and dedication, deeply committed to Central Kentucky and its people. It is a testament to his strong character that he was chosen to lead Kentucky Republicans as the House Majority Leader, a role which he passionately embraced,”

Three candidates met in the special election on November 2, 2021, to fill Carney's seat. Republican Michael "Sarge" Pollock, the election winner, is an insurance risk advisor in Campbellsville and the son-in-law of Don Bishop, the late coach and athletic director at Campbellsville University. Also in the race were the Democrat Edwin Rogers, and the conservative Independent Timothy Shafer.

Legacy

In November 2023, Campbellsville University bestowed posthumously upon Carney an honorary doctorate of public service degree. CU President Joseph Hopkins, who never met Carney, said “Clearly, our community is better and stronger because of Bam Carney,” Hopkins said that Carney's legacy “is so rich that I feel like I know him. This University is grateful for his service to Campbellsville, Taylor County, and the Commonwealth, and we are privileged to recognize his achievements in this way."