Gloria Johnson

Current office and 2026 campaign

Gloria Johnson is a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 90 (Knoxville, Knox County), a seat she has held since November 8, 2022, and currently holds ¹². She is running for reelection in the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹. In 2024, while serving in the state House, she also ran for the U.S. Senate (Class 1) seat held by Republican incumbent Marsha Blackburn: Johnson won the Democratic primary on August 1, 2024, with about 70% of the vote, then lost the November 5, 2024 general election to Blackburn, 63.8%-34.2% ³⁴.

Background and education

Johnson was born May 25, 1962, in Denver, Colorado ¹. She earned a bachelor's degree in special education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville ¹.

Career

Johnson worked for 27 years as a special education teacher, including at Knoxville's Central High School during a 2008 school shooting there ¹. She chaired the Knox County Democratic Party for two terms ¹.

Office history

Johnson first won a Tennessee House seat representing District 13 in 2012, lost reelection to Eddie Smith in 2014, defeated Smith to reclaim the seat in 2018, and was reelected in 2020. Following 2022 redistricting, she won the newly configured District 90 and has held it since ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

In April 2023, Johnson joined Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson in a gun-control protest on the House floor, using a bullhorn without recognition, three days after the Covenant School shooting in Nashville; the three became known as the "Tennessee Three." Jones and Pearson were expelled by the Republican supermajority; Johnson survived her own expulsion vote by a single vote ¹.

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