Michael T. Johnson
| Michael Thomas "Mike" Johnson | |
Louisiana State Representative
for District 27 (Rapides Parish) | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office March 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Hazel |
|---|---|
| Born | June 3, 1959 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Sheila Johnson |
| Children | Lacey and Matthew Johnson |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
- Not to be confused with Mike Johnson, the U.S. House Speaker, U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 4th congressional district, and a former state representative from Bossier Parish
Michael Thomas Johnson, known as Mike Johnson (born June 3, 1959),[1] is an attorney from Pineville, Louisiana, who is a Republican state representative for District 27 in north and eastern Rapides Parish.
Johnson's seat opened when the incumbent Republican, Chris Hazel, resigned in December 2018, to become an elected judge of the Louisiana 9th Judicial District Court in Alexandria. Johnson won the special election held on February 23, 2019, to complete the ten months remaining in the term of Chris Hazel. With 3, 713 votes (92 percent), he defeated a Democrat, Richard Kretzsinger, who drew 331 votes (8 percent).[2] He was unopposed for. a full four-year legislative terms in the nonpartisan blanket primaries held on October 12, 2019, and October 14, 2023.
Biography
Johnson graduated in 1977 from Pineville High School and received in 1981 a degree in public administration from Southern Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in Pineville. In 1984, he obtained his legal credentials from the historically black Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, from which many white students have graduated in recent years.[3]
In college, Johnson was the activity director at Emmanuel Baptist Church in downtown Alexandria. He became partner in the Alexandria law firm of Bolen, Erwin & Johnson. James A. "Jay" Bolen, the lead attorney in the firm, served two terms on the Alexandria City Council from 1977 to 1984 and had been Johnson's Sunday school teacher at Emmanuel church.[4]
Johnson has served on some forty non-profit boards, many from the start of the organization. He was the founding president of the Rapides Children’s Advocacy Center. He is a former president of the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce and is a former president of the North Rapides Business & Industry Alliance. "God has blessed me in so many ways, I’ve always felt I should give back. In my heart, I’ve always had a willingness to serve,” Johnson told an interviewer with Cenla Focus.[4] Johnson received the 2015 Rotary Service Above Self Award. “I don’t help others for fame or recognition. I actually get blessed when I am helping others,” Johnson said.[4]
At Louisiana College, Johnson met his wife, Sheila, who in 2015 was a teacher at Pineville Junior High School. She was a two-time All-American on the Louisiana College Lady Wildcats basketball team. In 1985, she became an LC coach and led the girls basketball team to a national championship. She later became the LC athletic director. In 2006, Mrs. Johnson was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches. The couple has two children, Lacey and Matthew.[4]
References
- ↑ Michael Johnson. mylife.com. Retrieved on December 30, 2019.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, February 23, 2019.
- ↑ Louisiana House Member Page: Michael T. Johnson. Louisiana House of Representatives. Retrieved on December 30, 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Holly Jo Linzat (September 12, 2015). Michael "Mike" and Sheila Johnson. cenalfocus.org. Retrieved on December 30, 2019.
