Chris Johnson (Mississippi politician)
Chris Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Mississippi State Senator-elect from the 44th district | |
| Assuming office January 1, 2026 | |
| Succeeding | John A. Polk |
| Member of the Mississippi State Senate from the 45th district | |
| In office January 7, 2020 – January 1, 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Billy Hudson |
| Succeeded by | Johnny DuPree |
| Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 87th district | |
| In office January 5, 2016 – January 7, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Johnny Stringer |
| Succeeded by | William Andrews III |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Chris Johnson 1978 (age 46–47) |
| Party | Republican |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Pearl River Community College University of Southern Mississippi |
| Occupation | Business owner |
Chris Johnson (born 1978) is an American politician serving in the Mississippi State Senator-elect from the 44th district. [1] He served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 87th district from 2016 to 2020.[2]
Early life and education
Johnson attended Forrest County Agricultural High School located in the outskirts of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.[1] He attended Pearl River Community College and graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 2001.[2][3]
Career
Johnson is an owner of multiple businesses, including a financial services firm operating in four states.[4]
In 2015, he ran as a Republican for election to the Mississippi House of Representatives for the 87th district, which covers Forrest and Lamar counties, to fill the seat of retiring Democrat Johnny Stringer.[5] He got 49.2% of the vote in the Republican primary and 80.2% of the vote in the general election; he assumed office on January 5, 2016.[5] In the house, he was vice-chairman for the Public Health and Human Services committee and was a member on the following others: Agriculture; Corrections; Education; Banking and Financial Services; Transportation; and Performance Based Budgeting.[2]
In 2019, incumbent, and friend of Johnson, Billy Hudson of the 45th district announced his retirement from the Mississippi State Senate, prompting Johnson to run for election to the seat within one day.[3][6] He responded to claims of dismay from Republican leadership in the House as "rumors."[7] He ran uncontested in the Republican primary and general election, securing 100% of the vote in both; he assumed office on January 7, 2020.[8] In the Senate, he chairs the Constitution committee and is vice-chair for the Medicaid committee.[1] He is a member on the following others: Appropriations; Business and Financial Institutions; Drug Policy; Education; Insurance; Public, Health, and Welfare; and Tourism.[1]
Johnson was redistricted out of his old seat to run for District 44. He defeated the Democratic candidate Shakita Taylor for his new seat. [9]
Personal life
Johnson is married to Wendi Burton and has two children.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Chris Johnson". billstatus.ls.state.ms.us. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ a b c "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ a b Ciurczak, Ellen. "Rep. Chris Johnson: Seeking balance in busy life". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ Carter, Courtney (2018-10-02). "Chris Johnson announces state senate bid". Mississippi Politics and News - Y'all Politics. Archived from the original on 2020-10-25. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ a b "Mississippi House of Representatives District 87". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ Ciurczak, Ellen. "Rep. Chris Johnson announces he'll run for retiring Billy Hudson's seat". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ "Bradley won't seek state senate seat; Johnson commits | HubCitySPOKES". www.hubcityspokes.com. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ "Mississippi State Senate District 45". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ Pittman, Ashton (2025-11-05). "Mississippi Democrats Break Republican Senate Supermajority, Flipping 3 Legislative Seats". Mississippi Free Press. Retrieved 2025-11-08.