While a student at Indiana University Bloomington, Abramson became active in politics by volunteering for Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 campaign for president.

Brown Jr.[7] In the 1985 general election, Abramson defeated the Republican candidate Bob Heleringer, a conservative member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1980 to 2002.

Abramson was highly popular as mayor from 1986 to 1999 because of growth in the Louisville economy as the decline in urban population that began in the 1950s slowed greatly.

Abramson began the nonprofit civic beautification program Operation Brightside, which included the $700 million expansion of Louisville International Airport.

However, his original third term was extended by one year as part of a state-mandated transition to align the dates of local and federal elections.

Subsequent to his first tenure as mayor, Abramson practiced law with the Frost Brown Todd firm and taught at Bellarmine University.

[10] Abramson was re-elected mayor in November 2006; his opponents were Republican Metro Council member Kelly Downard[11] and Independent Ed Springston.

His political future had been a subject of considerable speculation, but in an August 2013 speech before the Elizabethtown Rotary Club, he announced that he would not run for governor in 2015, saying,[13]I would like to in the next chapter of my life focus on one thing I really believe will make a significant difference in the development of Kentucky.

Beshear also announced on November 6 his appointment of former State Auditor Crit Luallen to serve out the remainder of Abramson's term.

students, alumni, and community leaders together for panel discussions on cutting-edge topics related to public affairs, government, media, and business.

[15] On July 29, 2021, Abramson was appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to serve on the University of Louisville board of trustees, replacing Matthew Barzun who vacated that position on August 2, 2021.