Quarles is a native of Georgetown, Kentucky, where he graduated valedictorian and class president from Scott County High School in 2002. While working on the Quarles family farm, he went on to complete a triple major undergraduate and two master's degrees from the nearby University of Kentucky in under 4 years. Quarles triple major was in Agriculture Economics, Public Service & Leadership, and Political Science and graduated summa cum laude with Honors in 2005. While enrolled in school, Quarles took as many as 27 credit hours per semester and was on the Dean's List in each term. Throughout his academic career, Quarles has received numerous national academic awards including the Truman Scholarship, Udall Scholarship, Zuckerman Fellowship, as well as scholarships from the Future Farmers of America and Toyota Corporation. Quarles went on to earn four graduate degrees. As one of 25 Zuckerman Fellows nationally, Quarles was awarded a full-ride scholarship to Harvard University where he completed a Master of Education in 2009. Quarles also holds a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Kentucky, a Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Relations from the Patterson School of Diplomacy, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law. Quarles has participated in study abroad and exchange programs to China, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Iceland, Israel, and Japan.
Political career
In Kentucky, Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher appointed Quarles to two consecutive terms as a Council Member on the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. Ryan was also appointed an ambassador for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Other experience includes working on the campaign of Governor Fletcher and as an intern for Republican Senator Damon Thayer in the Kentucky Senate. As an undergraduate student, Ryan was Chairman of the College Republicans at the University of Kentucky and that organization's State Political Director in 2004. In Washington, D.C., Quarles served as the Agricultural and Interior Intern for Senator Mitch McConnell. He also served as an International Trade Analyst for the United States Foreign Agricultural Service.
2010 election
In October 2009, Quarles announced that he would run for the Kentucky House of Representatives for the 62nd House District. At the time the District was represented by State Representative Charlie Hoffman. In May 2010, Quarles won a contested Republican primary election with 60% of the vote to be the Republican candidate from the 62nd Representative District in the Kentucky House of Representatives race. On October 2, 2010, Quarles was arrested in Lexington, Kentucky for reckless driving. "A police report said Ryan Quarles, 26, was arrested near North Mill and West Short streets in Lexington about 3:10 a.m. Saturday. Quarles was driving a black Jeep Cherokee through a parking lot, weaving through cars, the uniform citation said. The report said Quarles showed signs of intoxication and had a blood alcohol level of 0.067 when given a breath test. His blood alcohol level was below the legal limit of 0.08." Quarles pleaded guilty and paid a fine after the charge was lowered to careless driving. In November 2010, Quarles received 8,508 votes to Charlie Hoffman's 8,287. In 2011, Quarles was appointed to the Kentucky House of Representatives committees on Agriculture & Small Business, Banking & Insurance, and Education.
2012 election
Ryan Quarles ran for a second term to the Kentucky State House of Representatives in the 2012 election. In this race, Quarles faced a familiar opponent – former State Representative Charlie Hoffman whom he had defeated two years earlier – who filed to get his old seat back in a rematch as the Democratic nominee. Quarles easily defeated Hoffman in this contest, winning 54% to 46%.
2014 election
Ryan Quarles ran for his third term of office in the Kentucky State House of Representatives in the 2014 election. In this election, Quarles was running in a district redrawn by the Democratic-controlled House of Representative and drawn to be more Democratic, drawing in significant territory which had previously not been part of the district. He was made a top target of the Democrats for defeat of a Republican incumbent and his opponent, Charles Tackett, was a Scott County Magistrate who ran at the request of Democratic Governor Steve Beshear. The redrawn district and effort by the Democrats did not pan out as Quarles won by his largest margin of victory, 59% to 41%, over his opponent.
2015 election
Quarles announced he would be a candidate for Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, a statewide race, in the 2015 election. He won the Republican nomination against fellow State Representative Richard Heath. Quarles had been endorsed by the incumbent Commissioner of Agriculture, James Comer, and defeated Jean-Marie Lawson Spann in the general election.
2019 election
Quarles announced he would run statewide for a second term as Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner in 2019. He won the Republican primary in a landslide, defeating his primary opponent 82.21% to 17.79%. Quarles was the only Kentucky candidate with a primary challenger to win all of Kentucky's 120 counties.
