Amy McGrath

Amy Melinda McGrath (born June 3, 1975) is an American former Marine fighter pilot and political candidate from Kentucky. McGrath was the first woman to fly a combat mission for the Marine Corps and the first woman to pilot the F/A-18 in a combat mission. She was inspired to be a fighter pilot after studying World War II aviation in middle school and taking family trips to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. During her 20 years of service in the Marine Corps, McGrath flew 89 combat missions against al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Toward the end of her service, McGrath worked domestically as a political adviser, liaison officer, and instructor at the United States Naval Academy. Following retirement from military service in 2017, McGrath entered politics. She was the Democratic nominee for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in the 2018 election, losing to incumbent Republican Andy Barr by a margin of 51% to 47.8%. In July 2019, McGrath announced her campaign in the 2020 election for the United States Senate, challenging incumbent Mitch McConnell. In a close primary, McGrath defeated state representative Charles Booker to gain the nomination of the Democratic Party. McGrath outraised McConnell $90 million to $57 million, but lost the general election by nearly 20 points. In October 2025, McGrath declared her intent to run as a Democrat in Kentucky's 2026 Senate election.