ABOUT THE CANDIDATE
Laurel Johnson is a Democratic candidate for State Representative in Ohio House District 3.
Laurel grew up in Wood County. Raised in a working-class household, her dreams of being a first generation college graduate were met with the reality of the recession in 2009. Her family, like so many others, saw the cost of living increase while wages failed to keep up. Despite her circumstances, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Kent State University.
Among other jobs, she’s worked with various non-profit organizations and, in 2017, interned in the Ohio Senate where she learned just how strong of a hold Republicans have in our state government. Like so many college graduates struggling to find gainful employment, she moved to a city with more job opportunities. It wasn’t long before she found that the struggle in the nation’s capital was just as great. Meanwhile, headlines regarding worrisome bills passing through Ohio’s legislature kept her informed about matters back home. Dissatisfied with the state of things, Laurel returned to her hometown to break up the supermajority in Ohio in 2020.
She currently works for a medical cannabis dispensary in northwest Ohio that is dedicated to helping people improve their quality of life. She’s running because she believes Ohio can do more to ensure we all have equitable, quality healthcare and education as well as a healthy and sustainable environment.