Taking over as Youngstown State University president earlier than expected

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, announced on Wednesday that he will be resigning from Congress earlier than originally anticipated.

Johnson, who has represented Ohio’s 6th Congressional District since 2011, announced in November 2023 that he would be stepping down from his seat this year to take a position as president of Youngstown State University.

Johnson had originally planned to resign in March, but, this week, he said his resignation would take effect on Jan. 21 and he would begin his position at the university the next day.

Johnson is a familiar face to those in Lawrence County, which was a part of his district until 2023, when the county was moved into the 2nd Congressional District after congressional maps were redrawn in state redistricting.

U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, a Republican, represents the 2nd District. Wenstrup has said he will be retiring from Congress when his term ends after this year.

The announcement of Johnson’s departure mean that Republicans’ slim majority in the House will shrink to two, following the expulsion of Rep. George Santos, R-New York, and the resignation of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-California, the former speaker of the chamber.

A special election will have to take place for the remainder of Johnson’s term. Gov. Mike DeWine has set a partisan primary for that for March 19 and a general election for June 11.