Current Role:
Senior United States Senator from Wisconsin (2011–present)
Previous roles:
Chairman, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (2015–2021)
Ranking Member, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (dates not specified)
Chief Executive Officer, PACUR (plastics manufacturing company), Oshkosh, Wisconsin (mid-1980s–2010)
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Business and Accounting, University of Minnesota (1977)
Attended but did not complete a master’s program in business administration
Background:
Born April 8, 1955, Mankato, Minnesota
Raised in Mankato and Edina, Minnesota
Moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1979
Married to Jane Johnson, three children
Career:
CEO of PACUR, a plastics manufacturing company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oversaw company growth, including expansion into specialty plastics and export markets
Led the company before entering politics, reacquired PACUR in 1997 after an earlier sale
Political positions:
Republican Party
Fiscal conservative; opposes federal spending increases and supports tax cuts
Skeptical of scientific consensus on climate change
Supported Trump administration policies, including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and ending DACA
Advocates for annual congressional votes on Social Security and Medicare spending
Legislative achievements:
Voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017)
Voted for the CARES Act (2020)
Served as chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, leading investigations and hearings
Co-sponsored the Energy Tax Prevention Act to limit EPA regulation of carbon emissions
Controversies:
Promoted false claims of 2020 election fraud
Spread misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccinations during the pandemic
Opposed further COVID-19 stimulus and obstructed related legislation
Criticized for statements rejecting climate change and for conflicts of interest related to campaign financing
Ron Johnson is the senior United States senator from Wisconsin, serving since 2011. Born in Mankato, Minnesota, he built a successful career as CEO of PACUR, a plastics manufacturer in Oshkosh. A Republican, Johnson is known for his fiscal conservatism, skepticism of climate science, and support for Donald Trump. He chaired the Senate Homeland Security Committee and played a prominent role in investigations and controversial hearings. Johnson was reelected in 2016 and 2022. His tenure has included legislative achievements like supporting tax cuts and COVID-19 relief, but also significant controversies over election claims and pandemic-related misinformation.
