{{Short description|American political commentator and columnist}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Gary Abernathy | image = | alt = | caption = | office = Highland County Commissioner | alongside = {{hlist|Jeff Duncan|Terry Britton}} | term_start = {{start date|2018|7|2}}<ref name="HCP Forsha">{{cite news|title=Gary Abernathy stepping down as Highland County commissioner|first=Caitlin|last=Forsha|work=The Highland County Press|location=Hillsboro, Ohio|date=September 9, 2020|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/In-The-News/In-The-News/Article/Gary-Abernathy-stepping-down-as-Highland-County-commissioner-/2/20/59924|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308111438/https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/In-The-News/In-The-News/Article/Gary-Abernathy-stepping-down-as-Highland-County-commissioner-/2/20/59924|url-status=dead}}</ref> | term_end = {{end date|2020|10|2}}<ref name="HCP Forsha" /> | predecessor = Shane Wilkin<ref name="HCP Forsha" /> | successor = David T. Daniels<ref>{{cite news|title=Republican Central Committee appoints Daniels to county commission|first=Caitlin|last=Forsha|work=The Highland County Press|location=Hillsboro, Ohio|date=October 28, 2020|accessdate=March 9, 2023|url=https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/In-The-News/In-The-News/Article/Republican-Central-Committee-appoints-Daniels-to-county-commission/2/20/61177|archive-date=March 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309085324/https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/In-The-News/In-The-News/Article/Republican-Central-Committee-appoints-Daniels-to-county-commission/2/20/61177|url-status=dead}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1956}}<ref name="TG advantage">{{cite news|title=Abernathy feels experiences give him advantage|work=The Times-Gazette|location=Hillsboro, Ohio|date=November 1, 2018|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.timesgazette.com/2018/11/01/abernathy-feels-experiences-give-him-advantage/}}</ref> | birth_place = | spouse = Lora Abernathy<ref name="Civitas">{{cite press release|title=Abernathy named publisher and editor of Times Gazette|publisher=Civitas Media|location=Davidson, North Carolina|date=April 8, 2015|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.civitasmedia.com/company-news/109/abernathy-named-publisher-and-editor-of-times-gazette|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308111437/https://www.civitasmedia.com/company-news/109/abernathy-named-publisher-and-editor-of-times-gazette|url-status=dead}}</ref> | party = Republican | education = Lynchburg-Clay High School<ref name="TG Gilliland">{{cite news|title=Andy Richmond: A man among boys|first=Jeff|last=Gilliland|work=The Times-Gazette|location=Hillsboro, Ohio|date=June 16, 2017|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.timesgazette.com/2017/06/16/andy-richmond-a-man-among-boys/}}</ref> | occupation = {{hlist|Journalist|political commentator}} | website = {{URL|https://garyabernathymedia.com/}} }}
'''Gary Abernathy''' (born 1956<ref name="TG advantage" />) is an American political commentator who writes a nationally syndicated column for ''The Washington Post'' and makes frequent appearances on the ''PBS NewsHour''. A former newspaper editor and state Republican Party official, he is noted for his politically conservative views from a rural perspective.<ref name="CJR Spinner">{{cite news|title=Editorial pages in 'Trump Country' respond to demand for new columnists|first=Jackie|last=Spinner|work=Columbia Journalism Review|location=New York City|date=April 10, 2018|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/pro-trump-columnists-abernathy.php}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Abernathy grew up on a farm in Hamer Township, Highland County, Ohio (between Fairview and Danville). He graduated from Lynchburg-Clay High School in 1974.<ref name="TG advantage" /><ref name="TG Gilliland" />
== Career == Abernathy began his career as a reporter at the ''Hillsboro Press Gazette'' (now ''The Times-Gazette''). He became the city editor there in 1983, then the editor in 1985. In 1991, he left the ''Press Gazette'' to serve as city editor of ''The Marion Star''. In 1993, he moved to the ''Portsmouth Daily Times'', where he served as managing editor until 1996.<ref name="Civitas" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Times-Gazette owners, publishers, editors through the years|work=Times-Gazette|location=Hillsboro, Ohio|date=June 18, 2018|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.timesgazette.com/2018/06/18/times-gazette-owners-publishers-editors-through-the-years/}}</ref>
In January 1998, Abernathy became the Ohio Republican Party's communications director.<ref>{{cite news|title=Abernathy to lead West Virginia GOP|work=Columbus Business First|publisher=American City Business Journals|location=Columbus, Ohio|date=October 29, 2001|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2001/10/29/daily6.html}}</ref> In October 2001, Abernathy was appointed as the West Virginia Republican Party's executive director. He was dismissed in 2004 after alleging that the party's chairman, Kris Warner, had overspent on his brother Monty's gubernatorial campaign. He returned as executive director in 2008.<ref name="Register-Herald Porterfield">{{cite news|title=Gary Abernathy back as GOP executive director|first=Mannix|last=Porterfield|work=The Register-Herald|location=Beckley, West Virginia|date=December 11, 2008|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.register-herald.com/news/local_news/gary-abernathy-back-as-gop-executive-director/article_551c1730-22ec-5109-9605-b5556d377655.html}}</ref> Through his Dayton-based consultancy, Abernathy Strategies,<ref>{{cite news|title=Green outspending Weeks in 9th District battle|first=Mannix|last=Porterfield|work=The Register-Herald|location=Beckley, West Virginia|date=November 6, 2006|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.register-herald.com/news/local_news/green-outspending-weeks-in-9th-district-battle/article_25289da0-3c5e-57ee-a303-b406da7d73b4.html}}</ref> he also served as an advisor to John McCain,<ref>{{cite news|title=Huckabee captures state GOP convention|first=Lawrence|last=Messina|work=Times West Virginian|location=Fairmont, West Virginia|date=February 6, 2008|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.timeswv.com/news/huckabee-captures-state-gop-convention/article_001d9240-ae4f-5de4-a516-26bae5c54f02.html}}</ref> West Virginia State Senator Russ Weeks,<ref>{{cite news|title=Manchin campaign spending increases|first=Lawrence|last=Messina|work=Times West Virginian|location=Fairmont, West Virginia|date=October 24, 2008|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.timeswv.com/news/manchin-campaign-spending-increases/article_f0cc4233-17ac-58b9-8244-7933a239951f.html}}</ref> and Senate candidate John Raese.<ref>{{cite news|title=Candidates Show Strain of Tough Election Season|first=Carl|last=Hulse|work=The New York Times|date=October 26, 2016|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/us/politics/26strain.html}}</ref> He has also worked for U.S. Senators George Voinovich<ref>{{cite news|title=Clark County commissioners discuss local projects with Voinovich representative|first=Bridgette|last=Outten|work=Springfield News-Sun|location=Springfield, Ohio|date=June 22, 2010|accessdate=March 10, 2023|url=https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/local/clark-county-commissioners-discuss-local-projects-with-voinovich-representative/YAEY0IjyH4KGnCVQUHiuGO/}}</ref> and Rob Portman<ref>{{cite news|title=Ohio's GOP Senate contenders desperately try to out-Trump each other — it could hurt them|first=Igor|last=Derysh|work=Salon.com|date=July 10, 2021|accessdate=March 10, 2023|url=https://www.salon.com/2021/07/10/ohios-gop-senate-contenders-desperately-try-to-out-trump-each-other--it-could-hurt-them/}}</ref> and an Ohio congressman.<ref name="TG advantage" />
In 2011, Abernathy was named publisher of the ''Times-Gazette'' and ''Highland County Shopper''. In 2015, he became the papers' publisher and editor.<ref name="Civitas" /> He led the ''Times-Gazette'' in giving Donald Trump a rare newspaper endorsement in the 2016 presidential election, which was unremarkable among the paper's Highland County readers but attracted international attention.<ref>{{cite news|title=This Ohio paper is one of only six to endorse Donald Trump|first=Carl|last=Weiser|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=October 27, 2016|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/blogs/2016/10/27/ohio-paper-one-only-six-endorse-donald-trump/92821972/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=These Are the Only 6 Newspapers in the Country to Endorse Donald Trump|first=Ruairí|last=Arrieta-Kenna|work=Politico|location=Arlington County, Virginia|date=October 26, 2016|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/10/donald-trump-newspaper-endorsements-214390/}}</ref> In 2017, ''The Washington Post'' added Abernathy as a contributing columnist to diversify its editorial pages with a conservative viewpoint from outside the Beltway. He began writing two to three columns a month, which the ''Washington Post'' Writers Group distributes to hundreds of newspapers across the U.S.<ref name="CJR Spinner" /> He also began making appearances on the ''PBS NewsHour'' as a political analyst, substituting for David Brooks.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gary Abernathy|newspaper=The Washington Post|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/gary-abernathy/}}</ref>
On July 2, 2018, the Highland County Republican Central Committee appointed Abernathy to replace Shane Wilkin on the Board of County Commissioners. Abernathy resigned as publisher and editor of the ''Times-Gazette'' to serve as a commissioner. He was confirmed in a general election later that year. He resigned on October 2, 2020, to move to the Cincinnati area.<ref>{{cite news|title=Staff changes at The Times-Gazette|work=The Times-Gazette|location=Hillsboro, Ohio|date=July 20, 2018|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.timesgazette.com/2018/07/20/staff-changes-at-the-times-gazette/}}</ref><ref name="HCP Forsha" />
On January 30, 2026, Abernathy expressed support for the tactics used by Department of Homeland Security forces in Minneapolis and compared the actions of Renee Good and Alex Pretti to those of the protestors at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RASHL7Sj-4&t=2573 |title=PBS NewsHour full episode, Jan. 30, 2026 |date=2026-01-30 |publisher=PBS NewsHour |access-date=2026-02-26}}</ref>
== Personal life == Abernathy lives in Loveland, Ohio,<ref name="Enquirer Sewell">{{cite news|title=Tim Ryan benefits from 'cavalcade of clowns' in Senate race|first=Dan|last=Sewell|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=April 1, 2022|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/2022/04/01/tim-ryan-benefits-cavalcade-clowns-senate-race-opinion/7216928001/}}</ref> with his wife, Lora. Abernathy has four children.<ref name="Civitas" />
Abernathy was a member of the Hillsboro Rotary Club for 10 years until 2020.<ref>{{cite news|title=Abernathy resigns from Rotary|work=The Times-Gazette|location=Hillsboro, Ohio|date=September 29, 2020|accessdate=March 10, 2023|url=https://www.timesgazette.com/2020/09/29/abernathy-resigns-from-rotary/}}</ref>
Several years ago, Abernathy occasionally performed with a band as an Elvis tribute artist, sometimes at political functions. He became a fan after watching the Elvis Comeback Special in 1968.<ref name="Register-Herald Porterfield" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Elvis impressionist pauses to remember the King|first=Mannix|last=Porterfield|work=The Register-Herald|location=Beckley, West Virginia|date=August 16, 2007|accessdate=March 8, 2023|url=https://www.register-herald.com/news/local_news/elvis-impressionist-pauses-to-remember-the-king/article_593dc4c9-285e-5465-8a71-dffaaecdf3c4.html}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://abernathyroad.substack.com/ Abernathy Road], Abernathy's newsletter * {{IMDb name|nm4857405}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abernathy, Gary}} Category:Living people Category:1956 births Category:20th-century American newspaper editors Category:21st-century American newspaper editors Category:Editors of Ohio newspapers Category:Writers from Cincinnati Category:American political commentators Category:American columnists Category:The Washington Post columnists Category:PBS people Category:Ohio Republicans Category:West Virginia Republicans Category:People from Highland County, Ohio Category:People from Loveland, Ohio Category:Elvis impersonators Category:American political consultants Category:County commissioners in Ohio Category:Mass media people from Cincinnati Category:20th-century American male journalists Category:21st-century American male journalists