GOP Rep. Johnson accepts post at Youngstown State University, will not seek 8th term

Ohio Republican Rep. Bill Johnson on Tuesday announced that he would leave Congress to accept a position as President of Youngstown State University.

"After much thought and prayerful deliberation, I have accepted the offer to lead Youngstown State University and will not be seeking an 8th term in Congress," he said. "As I've stated previously, I wasn't looking for another job, because I love the one I have serving the people of Eastern Ohio in the U.S. House."

"This was an extremely difficult decision. This is not a goodbye, however. I will continue serving in the House for several more months, and you will see no let up. My offices are open and my staff remains ready to serve you," Johnson went on. "There is still much left on my agenda to do before I depart Congress, including doing all I can to help pass tax exemption legislation to benefit the people of East Palestine as well as a broader rail safety bill, streamline America’s LNG export process, and advance a responsible budget and spending package for the remainder of this fiscal year. It’s business as usual."

Johnson's current term is set to expire in early 2025, though his departure timeline of "several more months" appears to suggest that he plans to leave in the middle of the term. His departure will likely complicate Republican efforts in the House, where the GOP maintains a razor-thin majority.

His announcement comes the same day that Democratic California Rep. Anna Eshoo declared she would not seek reelection. A litany of lawmakers in recent months, including Democratic California Rep. Tony Cárdenas and GOP Reps. Kay Granger, Texas; Michael Burgess, Texas; and Brad Wenstrup, Ohio; have made similar announcements in recent weeks.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.