Lon Johnson | |
---|---|
Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party | |
In office February 23, 2013 – July 11, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Mark Brewer |
Succeeded by | Brandon Dillon |
Personal details | |
Born | Lonnie Barton Johnson June 18 Rockwood, Michigan, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Julianna Smoot |
Education | Arizona State University, Tempe ( BA) |
Website | Official website |
Lonnie Barton Johnson is an American politician. He is the former chairperson of the Michigan Democratic Party, [1] [2] having served in that position from 2013 through 2015. [3] [4] He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2012 election for the 103rd district in the Michigan House of Representatives. [5] He was the Democratic nominee for Michigan's 1st congressional district in the 2016 election, losing to Republican Jack Bergman in the general election by over 50,000 votes. [6] [3] [7]
Johnson was born in Rockwood, Michigan. His father is a retired machinist and his grandfather was a steelworker. He graduated from Arizona State University. He is a son of Vivian L. Pluff of Onsted, Michigan, and Gary S. Johnson of Richland, Pennsylvania. [8] Lon has an identical twin brother, Lance Johnson.
On October 22, 2011, Johnson married Julianna Smoot, [8] a fundraiser for Democrats. She was a Deputy Manager of Barack Obama's 2012 presidential reelection campaign, [9] having previously served as White House Social Secretary, Deputy Assistant to the President, [10] and Chief of Staff to United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk. His wife's employment in the Obama reelection effort was a campaign issue. [11]
Johnson has worked for the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, [12] and Congressman John Dingell's 2002 campaign. [3] [12] Johnson also worked for a non-profit called the National Democratic Institute. During his time there he traveled to Iraq to help with the installation of a political system based on democratic governance. [13] He was formerly vice president of a private equity firm in Tennessee, TVV Capital, [14] a private fund in Nashville that invests in small and midsize manufacturers and other companies, chiefly in the Southeast. [8]
In November 2023, ahead of the 2024 United States Senate election in Michigan, Senate candidate and business executive Nasser Beydoun alleged that Johnson had approached him with an offer of $20 million from a pro-Israel lobbying group to drop out of the Senate race and primary United States Representative Rashida Tlaib. Johnson repeatedly denied the claims, saying, "that's just crazy. I didn't offer him $20 million, or any other amount of money, to run against Rashida. That's insane." [15]
Johnson made an unsuccessful bid in the 2012 elections to unseat incumbent Republican Representative Bruce Rendon in the 103rd district of the Michigan House of Representatives. [7] [5]
During the election, his opponent made the employment of his wife, Julianna Smoot, in the Obama reelection effort a campaign issue. [11]
His endorsements included the Mackinac Sierra Club Chapter, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, and PrideSource. [16]
Johnson's campaign raised a total of $347,637 during the 2012 election cycle. [17]
On February 5, 2013, Johnson announced his intentions to become Michigan Democratic Party Chairperson. [14] [18] The two-year position was voted on during the Michigan Democratic Party Convention at Cobo Hall in Detroit on February 23, 2013. [19] Johnson's main opponent was Mark Brewer. Brewer was the longest-serving Democratic Party chairperson in the US, having first been elected to the position in 1995. [4] [14] [20]
All seven Democrats in Michigan’s congressional delegation signed a letter sent to party members on February 5, 2013 which announced their collective endorsement of Johnson for the chair of the state party. [14] [18] [19] He also received the support of the United Auto Workers, [4] [19] while his opponent, Mark Brewer, had the support of the Michigan Education Association. [4] [21]
Johnson said he intended to hire an executive director to oversee day-to-day operations of the state headquarters while he focused on campaign and outreach efforts. [21]
On the day of the election, February 23, 2013, Mark Brewer withdrew from the race. Brewer announced his decision to thousands of delegates to withdraw rather than continue a floor election. Johnson was elected chairperson shortly after Brewer's announcement. [1] [2]
On June 25, 2015, Johnson announced his intentions to step down as Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party and run for Michigan's 1st congressional district. [6] His tenure as Chair officially ended on July 11, 2015, when a new Chair was selected by the state party's executive committee. [6] Republican incumbent Dan Benishek is retiring. [22]
Johnson won the Democratic primary in August 2016. He faced Republican nominee Jack Bergman in the November 2016 general election. [23] Bergman won 55% of the vote to Johnson's 40%. [24] [25]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bruce Rendon (I) | 23,308 | 52.8 | |
Democratic | Lon Johnson | 20,832 | 47.2 | |
Republican hold |
Representative Rendon sent out a fundraising letter that calls attention to the fact that Johnson's wife … "mis one of the people running President Obama's reelection campaign, and a superstar of Democratic politics. ...Johnson released a letter that calls on his Republican opponent to lay off his wife.
Lon Johnson | |
---|---|
Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party | |
In office February 23, 2013 – July 11, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Mark Brewer |
Succeeded by | Brandon Dillon |
Personal details | |
Born | Lonnie Barton Johnson June 18 Rockwood, Michigan, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Julianna Smoot |
Education | Arizona State University, Tempe ( BA) |
Website | Official website |
Lonnie Barton Johnson is an American politician. He is the former chairperson of the Michigan Democratic Party, [1] [2] having served in that position from 2013 through 2015. [3] [4] He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2012 election for the 103rd district in the Michigan House of Representatives. [5] He was the Democratic nominee for Michigan's 1st congressional district in the 2016 election, losing to Republican Jack Bergman in the general election by over 50,000 votes. [6] [3] [7]
Johnson was born in Rockwood, Michigan. His father is a retired machinist and his grandfather was a steelworker. He graduated from Arizona State University. He is a son of Vivian L. Pluff of Onsted, Michigan, and Gary S. Johnson of Richland, Pennsylvania. [8] Lon has an identical twin brother, Lance Johnson.
On October 22, 2011, Johnson married Julianna Smoot, [8] a fundraiser for Democrats. She was a Deputy Manager of Barack Obama's 2012 presidential reelection campaign, [9] having previously served as White House Social Secretary, Deputy Assistant to the President, [10] and Chief of Staff to United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk. His wife's employment in the Obama reelection effort was a campaign issue. [11]
Johnson has worked for the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, [12] and Congressman John Dingell's 2002 campaign. [3] [12] Johnson also worked for a non-profit called the National Democratic Institute. During his time there he traveled to Iraq to help with the installation of a political system based on democratic governance. [13] He was formerly vice president of a private equity firm in Tennessee, TVV Capital, [14] a private fund in Nashville that invests in small and midsize manufacturers and other companies, chiefly in the Southeast. [8]
In November 2023, ahead of the 2024 United States Senate election in Michigan, Senate candidate and business executive Nasser Beydoun alleged that Johnson had approached him with an offer of $20 million from a pro-Israel lobbying group to drop out of the Senate race and primary United States Representative Rashida Tlaib. Johnson repeatedly denied the claims, saying, "that's just crazy. I didn't offer him $20 million, or any other amount of money, to run against Rashida. That's insane." [15]
Johnson made an unsuccessful bid in the 2012 elections to unseat incumbent Republican Representative Bruce Rendon in the 103rd district of the Michigan House of Representatives. [7] [5]
During the election, his opponent made the employment of his wife, Julianna Smoot, in the Obama reelection effort a campaign issue. [11]
His endorsements included the Mackinac Sierra Club Chapter, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, and PrideSource. [16]
Johnson's campaign raised a total of $347,637 during the 2012 election cycle. [17]
On February 5, 2013, Johnson announced his intentions to become Michigan Democratic Party Chairperson. [14] [18] The two-year position was voted on during the Michigan Democratic Party Convention at Cobo Hall in Detroit on February 23, 2013. [19] Johnson's main opponent was Mark Brewer. Brewer was the longest-serving Democratic Party chairperson in the US, having first been elected to the position in 1995. [4] [14] [20]
All seven Democrats in Michigan’s congressional delegation signed a letter sent to party members on February 5, 2013 which announced their collective endorsement of Johnson for the chair of the state party. [14] [18] [19] He also received the support of the United Auto Workers, [4] [19] while his opponent, Mark Brewer, had the support of the Michigan Education Association. [4] [21]
Johnson said he intended to hire an executive director to oversee day-to-day operations of the state headquarters while he focused on campaign and outreach efforts. [21]
On the day of the election, February 23, 2013, Mark Brewer withdrew from the race. Brewer announced his decision to thousands of delegates to withdraw rather than continue a floor election. Johnson was elected chairperson shortly after Brewer's announcement. [1] [2]
On June 25, 2015, Johnson announced his intentions to step down as Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party and run for Michigan's 1st congressional district. [6] His tenure as Chair officially ended on July 11, 2015, when a new Chair was selected by the state party's executive committee. [6] Republican incumbent Dan Benishek is retiring. [22]
Johnson won the Democratic primary in August 2016. He faced Republican nominee Jack Bergman in the November 2016 general election. [23] Bergman won 55% of the vote to Johnson's 40%. [24] [25]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bruce Rendon (I) | 23,308 | 52.8 | |
Democratic | Lon Johnson | 20,832 | 47.2 | |
Republican hold |
Representative Rendon sent out a fundraising letter that calls attention to the fact that Johnson's wife … "mis one of the people running President Obama's reelection campaign, and a superstar of Democratic politics. ...Johnson released a letter that calls on his Republican opponent to lay off his wife.