Gary Johnson (Wisconsin politician)
{{short description|20th century American politician.}}
{{Other people|Gary Johnson|Gary Johnson (disambiguation)}}
{{infobox officeholder
|name = Gary K. Johnson
|office = Majority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly
| term_start = January 26, 1980
| term_end = January 7, 1985
| predecessor = James W. Wahner
| successor = Dismas Becker
|office1 = Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
|constituency1 = 25th district
| term_start1 = January 3, 1983
| term_end1 = January 7, 1985
| predecessor1 = Barbara Ulichny
| successor1 = Vernon W. Holschbach
|constituency2 = 45th district
| term_start2 = January 1, 1973
| term_end2 = January 3, 1983
| predecessor2 = District created
| successor2 = Robert Quackenbush
|constituency3 = Rock 3rd district
| term_start3 = January 4, 1971
| term_end3 = January 1, 1973
| predecessor3 = George B. Belting
| successor3 = District abolished
|party = Democratic
|birth_date = {{birth date|1939|9|14}}
|birth_place = Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|2008|8|8|1939|9|14}}
|death_place = Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
|restingplace =
|spouse = Heather
|children = 3
|alma_mater = Beloit College {{small|(B.A.)}}
|profession =
}}
Gary K. Johnson (September 14, 1939{{spaced ndash}}August 8, 2008) was an American educator and Democratic politician. He served 14 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing southern Rock County, and was majority leader from 1980 until 1985. After leaving the Assembly, he worked for a time as Assistant Superintendent in the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Early life and career
Born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, he moved to Beloit, Wisconsin, with his family as a child. He graduated from Beloit Memorial High School and went on to earn his bachelor's degree from Beloit College in 1963.{{cite web|url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS9149 |title= Johnson, Gary K. 1939 |website= Wisconsin Historical Society |accessdate= February 10, 2021 }} Afterwards, he went back to Beloit Memorial High School as a social studies teacher. Through his work as an educator, he became involved in the Beloit Education Association, the local branch of the Wisconsin Education Association labor union, and would become president of the local organization.
Public career
In 1970, Johnson was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in Rock County's 3rd district, defeating incumbent Republican George B. Belting.{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1971 |title= The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1971 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1971 |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1971/reference/wi.wibluebk1971.i0011.pdf |chapter= Elections |pages= 304, 321 |accessdate= February 10, 2021 }} He was subsequently reelected 7 times, serving until 1985.
In 1980, Democratic Assembly Majority Leader James W. Wahner announced he would resign from the Assembly in order to accept an appointment in the federal government. Johnson, considered a moderate, was elected the new majority leader on the 2nd ballot, defeating Thomas A. Loftus (of the liberal wing) and Thomas A. Hauke (conservative).{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69873307/gk-johnson-majority-leader/ |title= Johnson is elected Assembly floor leader |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |date= January 24, 1980 |page= 4 |first= Thomas W. |last= Still |accessdate= February 10, 2021 |via= Newspapers.com }} He remained majority leader until leaving the Assembly in 1985.{{Cite news |url= https://lacrossetribune.com/news/state-and-regional/wi/former-assembly-speaker-gary-johnson-dies-at/article_b38abdd8-15cb-558d-8274-1733a2ec0b72.html |title= Former Assembly Speaker Gary Johnson dies at 68 |newspaper= La Crosse Tribune |date= August 15, 2008 |language= en-US |access-date= July 9, 2019}}
After leaving the Assembly, he worked briefly as a lobbyist for Wisconsin Bell, but, in 1986, accepted appointment as Assistant Superintendent in the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, under Superintendent Herbert J. Grover. He left government service again in 1990, and worked as a lobbyist until retiring in 1996.
Personal life
Johnson and his wife, Heather, had three children together. He died at his home in Madison, Wisconsin, in August 2008.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS9149 Johnson, Gary K. 1939] at Wisconsin Historical Society
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-wi-hs}}
{{s-bef|before = George B. Belting }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the Rock 3rd district}} |years= January 4, 1971{{spaced ndash}}January 1, 1973 }}
{{s-non|reason = District abolished}}
|-
{{s-non|reason = District created}}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the 45th district}} |years= January 1, 1973{{spaced ndash}}January 3, 1983 }}
{{s-aft|after = Robert Quackenbush }}
|-
{{s-bef|before = Barbara Ulichny }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the 25th district}} |years= January 3, 1983{{spaced ndash}}January 7, 1985 }}
{{s-aft|after = Vernon W. Holschbach }}
|-
{{s-bef|before = James W. Wahner }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Majority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly}} |years= January 26, 1980{{spaced ndash}}January 7, 1985 }}
{{s-aft|after = Dismas Becker }}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Gary K.}}
Category:Politicians from Beloit, Wisconsin
Category:Politicians from Grand Forks, North Dakota
Category:Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly