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Democratic Rep. Leaves House Seat For Local Position, Admits Frustration With Minority Status

Jo Ingles
Rep. Greta Johnson (D-Akron) speaks at a news conference in August 2016.

A Democratic state representative who some saw as a possible candidate for higher office is leaving the legislature after just winning election to her second term.

Rep. Greta Johnson (D-Akron) says she’ll be a deputy director in the Department of Law under Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro, who Johnson calls an incredible mentor. Johnson is one of 33 Democrats in the House, in which Republicans hold a 66-member supermajority. She says the lack of movement on bills she’s proposed isn’t why she’s leaving, but it’s frustrating.

“It’s clear to me that you can’t be a legislator who has rallies on the Statehouse steps questioning the majority and the administration and still expect your bills to pass.”

This year Johnson has backed bills to require automatic voter registration, to outlaw marital rape and to eliminate the so-called “pink tax” on feminine hygiene products.

Contact Karen at 614-578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.
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