{{Short description|American politician (born 1977)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Greta Johnson | state_house = Ohio | district = 35th | term_start = January 3, 2015 | term_end = March 2, 2017 | predecessor = Zack Milkovich | successor = Tavia Galonski | party = Democratic | birth_date = May 2, 1977 | alma_mater = University of Akron (B.A.) (M.A.)<br /> University of Akron School of Law (J.D.) }} '''Greta Johnson''' (born May 2, 1977) is an American attorney and politician. Johnson is the former representative of the 35th district of the Ohio House of Representatives, serving from January 2015 to March 2017.<ref>[http://www.akron.com/akron-ohio-community-news.asp?aID=24823 "Incumbents prevail in General Election"]. ''South Side Leader'', November 6, 2014.</ref> Johnson is a former assistant prosecutor for Summit County, who challenged incumbent representative Zack Milkovich in the 2014 Democratic primary. Johnson defeated Milkovich with 54% of the vote and won the general election with 61% of the vote. She held the seat until 2017, when she resigned to work for the Summit County Executive.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/akron/2017/03/state_rep_great_johnson_steps.html|title=Ohio Rep. Greta Johnson leaves Statehouse for Summit County deputy law director|last1=Conn|first1=Jennifer|last2=reporter|first2=Akron|date=2017-03-02|website=cleveland.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-27|last3=clevel|last4=.com}}</ref>
==Education and early career== Johnson is from Akron, Ohio. Johnson has a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and a Master of Arts in Higher Education from the University of Akron where she was captain of the women's volleyball team. She also received a Juris Doctor from the University of Akron School of Law.<ref name=":2">[https://www.ohio.com/akron/editorial/for-the-ohio-house-25 "For the Ohio House"]. "Akron Beacon Journal, April 3, 2014.</ref><ref name=":1">[ "35th Ohio House District race: Aimee N. Cooper, Greta Johnson"]. "Akron Beacon Journal", October 19, 2016.</ref>
Johnson worked as a police legal adviser and the assistant prosecuting attorney in the City of Akron Law Department before becoming a representative. Previously, she was an assistant county prosecutor in Summit and Mahoning counties.<ref>[https://www.ohio.com/akron/editorial/for-the-ohio-house-emilia-sykes-and-greta-johnson "For the Ohio House: Emilia Sykes and Greta Johnson"]. "Akron Beacon Journal", September 27, 2014.</ref>
==Ohio House of Representatives== ===Political campaigns=== ====2014==== Johnson challenged incumbent Democrat Zach Milkovich in the 2014 Democratic Primary. The Summit County Democratic Party broke with tradition to endorse her against her in her bid to oust her Democratic, incumbent rival from the Statehouse.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/news/20190430/county-democrats-refuse-to-back-incumbents-in-3-akron-races|title=County Democrats refuse to back incumbents in 3 Akron races|last=Livingston|first=Doug|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref> Johnson was also endorsed by the Akron Beacon Journal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/article/20141101/OPINION/311019231|title=Beacon Journal recommendations for Tuesday's election|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref>
In the 2014 general election, Johnson won against Republican challenger Linda Robinson.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/article/20141025/NEWS/310259331|title=More on the Summit County Statehouse races|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref> Johnson was one of only two Democrats elected to the Statehouse from Summit County.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/article/20141230/NEWS/312309235|title=Two new Ohio House members from Summit County to be sworn in during local ceremonies|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref> Her campaign focused on the value of early education in public schools and the rights of women. She was also critical of state cuts to local schools and local governments.<ref name=":2" />
====2016==== As an incumbent, Johnson faced no Democratic challenger in the May 2016 primary. In the 2016 general election, Johnson successfully defended her seat against Republican challenger Aimee N. Cooper.<ref name=":1" /> Johnson served on Hillary Clinton's Ohio Leadership Team in 2016 to assist Clinton in winning Ohio in the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/article/20160216/NEWS/302169189|title=Clinton's Ohio team lined with local leadership|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref>
===State representative=== During her first term in the Ohio Statehouse Johnson served on the Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety; Judiciary; Transportation and Infrastructure; and Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review committees. During her second term, she served on the Criminal Justice; Education and Career Readiness; and Government Accountability and Oversight committees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Greta_Johnson|title=Greta Johnson|website=Ballotpedia|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref>
Johnson sponsored numerous bills, including a bill to make the preparation of a presentence report optional if both the prosecution and defense agree.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/article/20150519/NEWS/305199008|title=Bill co-sponsored by Akron's Greta Johnson would make Ohio requirement of presentence report optional|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref> Johnson was a vocal defendant of woman's health care and of Planned Parenthood of Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/article/20150325/NEWS/303258875|title=Ohio House OKs bill banning abortions after first heartbeat|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref> During her time at the Statehouse, she also focused on local issues in her district, she voiced public opposition to a $50 per credit hour fee that the University of Akron administration imposed on students.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohio.com/article/20150718/NEWS/307189483|title=Degrees of blame for higher UA fees|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref>
==Summit County Executive's Office== In March 2017, Johnson stepped down as State Representative and took a position as Deputy Director of Law, Insurance, and Risk Management for Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro.<ref name=":3" /> She currently serves as the Assistant Chief of Staff and Public Information Officer for the Executive's office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://co.summitoh.net/index.php/contact/communications|title=COMMUNICATIONS CONTACTS|website=co.summitoh.net|access-date=2019-06-27|archive-date=2019-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627153701/http://co.summitoh.net/index.php/contact/communications|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change|title=2014 Ohio House of Representatives election, Democratic Primary, District 35<ref name="sos.state.oh.us">[https://www.sos.state.oh.us/elections/election-results-and-data/2014-elections-results/ 2014 Election results] oh.us</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Greta Johnson|votes=2,208|percentage=53.7%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Zack Milkovich (Incumbent)|votes=1,907|percentage=46.3%}}
{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2014 Ohio House of Representatives election, District 35<ref name="sos.state.oh.us"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Greta Johnson|votes=11,010|percentage=62.1%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Linda Robinson|votes=6,731|percentage=37.9%}}
{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2016 Ohio House of Representatives election, Democratic Primary, District 35 <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Ohio_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2014|title=Ohio House of Representatives elections, 2014|website=Ballotpedia|accessdate=13 August 2023}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Greta Johnson (Incumbent)|votes=8,103|percentage=100%}}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2016 Ohio House of Representatives election, District 35 <ref name="sos.state.oh.us"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Greta Johnson|votes=22,997|percentage=62.5%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Aimee Cooper|votes=13,796|percentage=37.5%}}{{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==Links== * [http://gretajohnson.com/ Official campaign site]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Greta}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Ohio General Assembly Category:Politicians from Akron, Ohio Category:Ohio lawyers Category:American prosecutors Category:Women state legislators in Ohio Category:21st-century American women politicians