Constance N. Johnson

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Connie Johnson

|image = Johnson c.jpg

|state_senate = Oklahoma

|district = 48th

|term_start = November 2005

|term_end = November 2014

|predecessor = Angela Monson

|successor = Anastasia Pittman

|birth_name = Constance Nevlin Johnson

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|5|11}}

|birth_place = Holdenville, Oklahoma, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|otherparty = Democratic Socialists of America

|education = University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Langston University (MS)

}}

Constance Nevlin Johnson (born May 11, 1952) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She served in the Oklahoma Senate, representing District 48, which encompasses portions of northeastern and northwestern Oklahoma County until 2014. She was first elected to the state senate in a special election in September 2005.

Johnson became the first African American woman nominated for a major statewide office in Oklahoma and the first woman US Senate nominee from Oklahoma of any party when she won the Democratic primary run-off of the 2014 U.S. Senate election.{{cite web |url=http://kgou.org/post/three-races-watch-tuesdays-primary-runoff-elections |title=Three Races To Watch In Tuesday's Primary Runoff Elections |last=Hardzinski |first=Brian |date=August 25, 2014 |work=KGOU |accessdate=August 27, 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/08/26/connie-johnson-wins-dem-primary-for-oklahoma-senate/ |title=Connie Johnson Wins Dem Primary For Oklahoma Senate |date=August 25, 2014 |work=CBS Local |accessdate=August 27, 2014}} She ran for Governor of Oklahoma in 2018 and 2022, losing in the Democratic primary both times.

Johnson is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/26/politics/democratic-primaries-to-watch-2018/index.html|title=9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018|date=October 26, 2017|first=Gregory|last=Krieg|work=CNN|accessdate=July 30, 2018}}

Early life and education

Born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, in 1952, she graduated from Frederick A. Douglass High School in Oklahoma City and earned a bachelor's degree in French from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also completed coursework for a Masters of Science in Education. After college she worked for the Oklahoma Community Action Director's Association, the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) within the City of Oklahoma City, and as the personnel assistant within the General Administrator's office of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.[http://www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/wotol/johnson/index.htm Constance Johnson], [https://dc.library.okstate.edu/digital/collection/legislature/id/230/rec/1 Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305064541/http://www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/wotol/|date=2015-03-05}}. (accessed July 8, 2013) She graduated from Langston University's master's in Rehabilitation Counseling Program and holds a doctorate in political science from Larry Love University.{{cite news |last1=Hoberock |first1=Barbara |title=Johnson, Hofmeister face off for Democratic nomination in governor race |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/johnson-hofmeister-face-off-for-democratic-nomination-in-governor-race/article_25aabb96-edbb-11ec-a636-bbcb56543e3d.html |access-date=19 June 2022 |publisher=Tulsa World |date=19 June 2022}}

Career in the Oklahoma State Senate

Johnson worked for the Oklahoma State Senate as a legislative analyst from 1981 to 2005 when she won the Senate seat representing District 48 in a special election. She was re-elected in 2006 and 2010.

=Senate committees=

Chair, Committee on Select Agencies
Co-Chair, Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
Full Appropriations
Appropriations Subcommittee on Health & Human Services
Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Transportation
Health and Human Services
Transportation
Veterans and Military Affairs
Energy
Finance
Rules
General Government

=Stance on Senate Bill 1433=

Senate Bill 1433, which sought to define human life as beginning at fertilization, would have offered full legal protection to all human embryos. In the words of the bill, “the unborn child at every stage of development (has) all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to other persons, citizens, and residents of this state.” Johnson submitted an amendment of her own to the bill, which would have added the words:

:However, any action in which a man ejaculates or otherwise deposits semen anywhere but in a woman’s vagina shall be interpreted and construed as an action against an unborn child.{{cite web|last1=Rolland|first1=Megan|title=Oklahoma Senate passes Personhood Act, saying life begins at conception|url=http://newsok.com/oklahoma-senate-passes-personhood-act-saying-life-begins-at-conception/article/3649308|website=newsok.com|publisher=NewsOK|accessdate=1 April 2015}}

She explained that the amendment was intended to "draw attention to the absurdity, duplicity and lack of balance inherent in the policies of this state in regard to women".Johnson, Constance. "[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/feb/09/spilled-semen-amendment-oklahoma-personhood-bill About my 'spilled semen' amendment to Oklahoma's Personhood bill]," The Guardian, February 9, 2012. (accessed July 8, 2013) Her efforts were used as part of a skit that was featured on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart entitled "Bro Choice," and, in conjunction with a rally organized by the newly created Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice, led to the defeat of the proposed legislation.{{Citation|title=Bro-Choice-The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - Video Clip|url=http://www.cc.com/video-clips/t63lj3/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-bro-choice|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402033328/http://www.cc.com/video-clips/t63lj3/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-bro-choice|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 2, 2016|accessdate=2017-03-02}} At the rally, Johnson was joined by fellow state senator Judy Eason McIntyre, who was pictured holding up a protest sign that read "If I wanted the government in my womb, I'd fuck a senator."{{Cite news|url=http://jezebel.com/5889334/oklahoma-senator-pickets-personhood-bill-with-hilarious-obscene-sign|title=Oklahoma Senator Pickets Personhood Bill With Hilarious, Obscene Sign|last=Ryan|first=Erin Gloria|work=Jezebel|access-date=2017-03-05|language=en-US}}

Campaign for U.S. Senate

On April 8, 2014, Johnson announced she was running in the 2014 United States Senate special election in Oklahoma. Johnson faced Patrick Hayes and perennial candidate Jim Rogers.{{cite news |title=Oklahoma Elections |url=http://newsok.com/oklahoma-elections-whats-on-the-ballot/article/5362942 |newspaper=The Oklahoman |date=June 24, 2014 |accessdate=June 25, 2014}} Johnson finished first in the Democratic primary with a plurality, and faced Rogers in a runoff election.{{cite news |title=Lankford Wins GOP Nod In U.S. Senate, Faces Dems Johnson Or Rogers, Independent Beard |url=http://kgou.org/post/lankford-wins-gop-nod-us-senate-faces-dems-johnson-or-rogers-independent-beard |newspaper=KGOU |agency=AP |date=June 24, 2014 |accessdate=June 25, 2014}} Rogers had an advantage with name recognition heading into the runoff election, having appeared numerous times on the ballot in Oklahoma.{{cite news |title=Reclusive, perennial Oklahoma candidate faces longtime state senator in U.S. Senate primary |url=http://newsok.com/reclusive-perennial-oklahoma-candidate-faces-longtime-state-senator-in-u.s.-senate-primary/article/4985414 |newspaper=The Oklahoman |date=July 3, 2014 |accessdate=January 17, 2015}} Johnson, having spent 8 years in the Oklahoma State Senate as an outspoken critic of the Republican legislature, was able to acquire experienced campaign staff to secure a runoff election victory. Controversy would later surround a successful lawsuit with Johnson staff member Rico Smith. Smith filed a suit claiming Johnson did not properly pay him according to a contract signed by Johnson's campaign staff. That suit was sustained by the court.{{cite news |title=Former campaign worker sues Connie Johnson over alleged breach of contract |url=http://www.koco.com/news/former-campaign-worker-sues-connie-johnson-over-alleged-breach-of-contract/28977326 |newspaper=KOCO |date=October 6, 2014 |accessdate=January 17, 2015}} Campaign Manager Bailey Perkins, succeeded by Colletta Harper, along with Communications Director James Cooper, an Oklahoma City journalist and professor, and Political Director David Roberts, a veteran political operative and former 2008 Obama for America staff member rounded out the organizational structure. Rogers' name recognition did little to combat Johnson's growing notoriety and campaign organization. Johnson won the runoff election, defeating Rogers by 14 percentage points, to face Rep. James Lankford in the general election campaign.{{cite news |title=Connie Johnson Wins Dem Primary For Oklahoma Senate |url=http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/08/26/connie-johnson-wins-dem-primary-for-oklahoma-senate/ |newspaper=CBSDC |date=August 26, 2014 |accessdate=January 17, 2015}} Johnson lost the election for the unexpired term of Tom Coburn to James Lankford, by a margin of 237,923 29.0% to Lankford's 557,002, 67.9%, with independent candidate Mark Beard collecting 25,965 votes, 3.2% of the total.[http://www.ok.gov/elections/support/20141104_seb.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111090630/http://www.ok.gov/elections/support/20141104_seb.html|date=2015-01-11}}, Oklahoma State Elections Board, November 4, 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2015. Oklahoma had the lowest voter turnout in the country in the 2014 midterm elections with only 29% of registered voters casting a ballot.{{Cite web|url=http://oklahomawatch.org/2014/11/04/oklahoma-sees-the-lowest-voter-turnout-for-governor-since-2002/|title=Oklahoma Voter Turnout May Be Lowest Recorded|date=November 4, 2014|website=Oklahoma Watch|access-date=2017-03-02}}

Comprehensive marijuana reform

Johnson introduced legislation legalizing medical marijuana in 2007, and each subsequent session, in conjunction with efforts to change Oklahoma's harsh sentencing guidelines. In June 2014, Senator Johnson and attorney David Slane announced the filing of an initiative petition for a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Oklahoma which would legalize the possession of up to one ounce of recreational marijuana and three ounces of medical marijuana.{{cite news |title= Oklahoma Senator cites Genesis 1:29 as basis for legalizing marijuana |url= http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014/06/16/Oklahoma-Senator-cites-Genesis-129-as-basis-for-legalizing-marijuana/2221402953544/|work=UPI |date=June 16, 2014 |accessdate=July 11, 2014}} According to Johnson, "We’re putting forth Genesis 1:29 as the basis of this campaign. God created this wonderful, miraculous plant and we know that it has been vilified for the last 100 years, and it’s time to change that in Oklahoma."{{cite news |title= Oklahoma group using Bible scripture in push to legalize pot|url= http://kfor.com/2014/06/13/oklahoma-group-using-bible-scripture-in-push-to-legalize-pot/|date=June 13, 2014 |publisher= KFOR-TV |accessdate=July 11, 2014}} While the petition drive for the 2014 effort failed, Johnson has continued to work towards marijuana reform.{{Cite news|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/new-medical-marijuana-petition-filed-for-oklahoma-vote/article_cb45779b-fdcd-53a4-984b-436dc9724ca3.html|title=New medical marijuana petition filed for Oklahoma vote|work=Tulsa World|access-date=2017-03-04}} She assisted with the petition to place SQ 788 legalizing medical marijuana on the ballot in 2018, and circulated a full legalization petition focused on use for agricultural, medicinal and recreational purposes.{{Cite news|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Oklahoma_Medical_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative,_State_Question_788_(2018)|title=Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, State Question 788 (2018) - Ballotpedia|access-date=2017-03-04|language=en}}

Death penalty reform

Elected to chair the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (OK-CADP) in 2015 and again in 2016, Johnson led the Say No To SQ 776/Think Twice Oklahoma campaign to keep the death penalty out of Oklahoma's state constitution.{{Cite web|url=http://www.capitolbeatok.com/reports/death-penalty-foes-respond-to-voter-approval-of-state-question-776|title=Death penalty foes respond to voter approval of State Question 776|website=www.capitolbeatok.com|access-date=2017-03-04}} While the state question was predicted to pass with overwhelming support, the "Say No" effort successfully kept the win margin at 66%, vs the projected 75%, via an advocacy and education campaign that focused on conservative fiscal concerns.{{Cite news|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Oklahoma_Death_Penalty,_State_Question_776_(2016)|title=Oklahoma Death Penalty, State Question 776 (2016) - Ballotpedia|access-date=2017-03-04|language=en}}

Work with the Oklahoma Democratic Party

Johnson was elected vice chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party (ODP) in May 2015 based on her belief that the party should do more to increase voting participation using specific voting strategies and more voter education. She supported the decision to allow independents to participate in the Democratic primary and has worked to re-invigorate the process for clubs representing diverse groups to have a voice on the ODP Central Committee. She was the whistle blower on a gag order that prohibited Democrats from discussing key Democratic issues such as women's reproductive health rights, immigration, death penalty abolition, and marijuana policy reform.{{Cite news|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/oklahoma-democratic-party-chair-vice-chair-at-odds-over-message/article_42e93c17-1767-5de9-b115-237347453cc1.html|title=Oklahoma Democratic Party chair, vice chair at odds over message strategy|work=Tulsa World|access-date=2017-03-04}} Johnson was the only super delegate from Oklahoma to support Sen. Bernie Sanders at the Democratic National Convention. Senator Sanders won Oklahoma by 10+ percentage points, and carried 75 of 77 counties in the Oklahoma Democratic Primary in 2016.

Oklahoma gubernatorial campaigns

= 2018 =

Johnson ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Oklahoma in 2018.{{Cite news|url=http://newsok.com/article/5539681|title=Former Oklahoma state senator to run for governor in 2018|date=2017-02-28|work=NewsOK.com|access-date=2017-03-04|language=en-US}} She won 38.6% of votes to elect a Democratic candidate for governor in the Oklahoma statewide primary held on June 26, 2018, losing to former Oklahoma attorney general Drew Edmondson who won 61.4% of votes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ok.gov/elections/support/20180626_seb.html|title=State Election Results, Statewide Primary Election, June 26, 2018|website=www.ok.gov|access-date=2019-01-17|archive-date=2018-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725143639/https://www.ok.gov/elections/support/20180626_seb.html|url-status=dead}}

= 2022 =

On May 17, 2021, Johnson filed to run for governor once again in 2022, to challenge Republican incumbent Kevin Stitt.{{cite news|last=Patterson|first=Matt|title=Former Sen. Connie Johnson files to run for governor|url=https://nondoc.com/2021/05/20/former-senator-connie-johnson-files-for-governor/|accessdate=May 20, 2021 |work=NonDoc|date=May 24, 2021}} On June 28, 2022, Johnson lost the Democratic primary to Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister.{{cite news |last1=DenHoed |first1=Andrea |title=Kevin Stitt, Joy Hofmeister advance in governor's race |url=https://nondoc.com/2022/06/28/kevin-stitt-joy-hofmeister-advance-in-governor-race/ |access-date=29 June 2022 |publisher=NonDoc |date=28 June 2022}}

2024 Oklahoma Senate campaign

Johnson ran for the Oklahoma Senate's 48th district in 2024 and faced a Democratic primary against Oklahoma City Councilor Nikki Nice.{{cite news |last1=Patterson |first1=Matt |title=In open Senate District 48, Nice offers new blood as Johnson seeks old seat |url=https://nondoc.com/2024/06/14/senate-district-48-nikki-nice-faces-connie-johnson/ |access-date=19 June 2024 |work=NonDoc |date=14 June 2024}} Johnson lost the primary election to Nice.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Jessie Christopher |last2=Cheyenne |first2=Derksen |title=OKC city council's Nikki Nice defeats Connie Johnson for Oklahoma's Senate District 48 |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/06/18/results-nikki-nice-defeats-connie-johnson-for-oklahoma-senate-seat/74145120007/ |access-date=19 June 2024 |work=The Oklahoman}}

References

External links

[https://www.govconnie.com/ Campaign website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126131731/https://www.govconnie.com/ |date=2022-01-26 }}
[http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=46223 Constance N. Johnson (OK)] at Project Vote Smart
[http://okdemocrats.org/officers-state-central-committee/ Oklahoma Democratic Party] (ODP)
[http://okcadp.org Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty]
[https://library.okstate.edu/search-and-find/collections/digital-collections/wotol/ Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Collection]
{{C-SPAN|77645}}

{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Democratic nominee for U.S. senator from Oklahoma}}
(Class 3)|years=2014}}

Category:1952 births

Category:20th-century African-American politicians

Category:20th-century African-American women politicians

Category:20th-century American women politicians

Category:21st-century African-American women politicians

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:African-American state legislators in Oklahoma

Category:Candidates in the 2014 United States elections

Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States elections

Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States elections