Dusty Johnson


Dustin M. Johnson is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner from 2005 to 2011, when he was appointed chief of staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard, a position he retained until 2014. Between his state political career and congressional service, Johnson was the vice president of Vantage Point Solutions in Mitchell, South Dakota.

Early life and education

Johnson was born in Pierre, South Dakota. Johnson graduated from T.F. Riggs High School in 1995. He earned his B.A. in political science from University of South Dakota in 1999, where he was a member of fraternity Phi Delta Theta. He earned his M.P.A. from University of Kansas in 2002. In 1998, Johnson was named a Truman Scholar. As a Truman Scholar, he worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. In 2003, Johnson worked as a senior policy advisor for then-South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds.

State government career

Public Utilities Commission (2004–2011)

In 2004, Johnson ran for the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. He was elected statewide to South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. Upon his election, he subsequently became the youngest utilities commissioner in the nation. He was re-elected in 2010. Johnson was also a member of the executive board of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
In 2007, he became the Chairman of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission a position he held until his resignation in 2011. In 2010, he led a South Dakota delegation that included then-Governor Mike Rounds and state regulators that met with FCC Commissioners on concerns with the FCC’s National Broadband Plan and its impact on small and rural providers in South Dakota.

Daugaard administration (2011–2014)

In 2011, he resigned his PUC position to become chief of staff for Governor Dennis Daugaard. Johnson served four years as chief of staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard. As chief operating officer for much of state government, he supervised Cabinet Secretaries, policy advisors and many of the Governor’s projects and initiatives.

Private sector career (2014–2018)

In 2014, he resigned his chief of staff position, leaving the public sector to work for Vantage Point Solutions in Mitchell, South Dakota. Fellow Truman Scholar, Tony Venhuizen, succeeded Johnson as Chief of Staff. Johnson resigned his position with Vantage Point Solutions in 2018, upon his accession to Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018

On November 15, 2016, Johnson announced bid to become a Republican candidate for U.S. Representative for. The announcement came shortly after Kristi Noem had announced she would not seek re-election to Congress in order to run in the 2018 South Dakota gubernatorial election. He defeated Secretary of State of South Dakota Shantel Krebs and businessman Neal Tapio, a state senator, in the June 5, 2018, GOP primary. He defeated Democrat Tim Bjorkman, a retired circuit court judge, and two minor candidates in the November general election.

2020

On February 19, 2020, Johnson announced his bid to seek re-election to the U.S. House. On February 4, 2020, Former State Rep. Liz Marty May announced she was challenging Johnson in the Republican primary.
Two Democrats candidates Brian Wirth of Dell Rapids, and Whitney Raver of Custer, announced their candidacy for the US House seat. Both Wirth and Raver failed to get the required number of signatures to make the ballot. According to state party chairman Randy Seiler, Wirth and Raver's canvassing efforts were hampered by the coronavirus pandemic. On June 2, 2020, Johnson won the Republican primary 77%-23%.

Tenure

Johnson was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives on January 3, 2019, and joined the Problem Solvers Caucus soon after.
On March 26, 2019, Johnson was one of fourteen Republicans to vote with all House Democrats to override President Trump's veto of a measure unwinding the latter's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border.

Committee assignments

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Personal life

Johnson has been actively involved as a state advisor for South Dakota Teen Age Republicans and its Black Hills camp leader since 2004. Johnson serves on the board of directors for the W.O. Farber Fund, Abbott House, and served on the South Dakota Attorney General's Open Government Task Force. Johnson has served as an adjunct professor at Dakota Wesleyan University.