Blake Johnson
| Lowell Blake Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Arkansas Senate from the 20th district |
|
| Assumed office January 2015 |
|
| Preceded by | Robert F. Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 16, 1971 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Tricia Rose Johnson |
| Children | Chad and Cara Johnson |
| Parents | Raymond Glen Johnson (father), Linda J. Johnson (mother) |
| Residence | Corning, Clay County Arkansas, USA |
| Alma mater | Corning High School Arkansas State University |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
Lowell Blake Johnson (born c. 1971)[1] is a farmer from his native Clay County, Arkansas, who is a Republican member of the Arkansas State Senate for District 20, which includes Clay, Greene, Lawrence and parts of Randolph and Craighead counties, based in the northeastern portion of his state.[2][3]
Background
Johnson graduated from Corning High School in Corning, Arkansas, and Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science. Since 1995, he has been a self-employed farmer raising rice and soybeans on family-owned land.[2] Johnson is a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He is affiliated with the Corning Baptist Church and the Gideons International, a Bible-distribution group.[4]
Political life
From 2005 to 2015, Johnson served on the Corning City Council, including a time on the Parks and Recreation Committee from 2006 to 2009.[4] In 2012, he ran in the general election against incumbent Democrat state Senator Robert F. Thompson. He lost by 447 votes; Thompson polled 13,616 (50.8 percent) to Johnson's 13,169 (49.2 percent).[5] In 2014, Johnson reversed the tide; in a stronger Republican year than in 2012, he unseated Thompson, 12,096 votes (53.8 percent) to 10,405 (46.2 percent).[3]
Johnson sits on these Senate committees: (1) Education, (2) Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development, (3) Senate Rules, Resolutions, and Memorials, (4) Joint Public Retirement and Social Security Programs, and (5) Legislative Joint Auditing.[6]
In February 2015, Johnson supported House Bill 1228, authored by Republican Bob Ballinger of Carroll County in northwestern Arkansas.[7] The measure sought to prohibit government from imposing a burden on the free exercise of religion.[8] Johnson's colleague, Representative Camille Bennett, a Democrat from Lonoke, called for a reworking of the legislation[9] on the theory that the Ballinger bill would establish a "type of religious litmus test" which could impact nearly any law under consideration by the legislature.[7] The legislation was subsequently passed by a large margin in the House and signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson.[10]
That same month, Johnson joined the large Senate majority, with only seven dissenters, which reduced payments of unemployment compensation, another measure signed into law by Governor Hutchinson.[11]
References
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| Preceded by | Arkansas State Senator for District 20 (Clay, Greene, Lawrence, Randolph, and Craighead counties) Lowell Blake Johnson |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
