Mike Johanns
United States Senator from Nebraska
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2009 Serving with Ben Nelson
Preceded by	Chuck Hagel
28th United States Secretary of Agriculture
In office January 21, 2005 – September 20, 2007
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Ann Veneman
Succeeded by	Ed Schafer
38th Governor of Nebraska
In office January 7, 1999 – January 20, 2005
Lieutenant	David I. Maurstad (1999-2001) Dave Heineman (2001-2005)
Preceded by	Ben Nelson
Succeeded by	Dave Heineman
47th Mayor of Lincoln
In office 1991–1998
Preceded by	Bill Harris
Succeeded by	Dale Young
Member of the Lincoln City Council
In office 1989–1991
Member of Lancaster County Board
In office 1983–1987
Personal details
Born	June 18, 1950 (1950-06-18) (age 61) Osage, Iowa
Political party	Republican (1988–present)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (Before 1988)
Spouse(s)	Stephanie Johanns
Residence	Omaha, Nebraska
Alma mater	St. Mary's University (B.A.) Creighton University (J.D.)
Occupation	Attorney
Religion	Roman Catholic
Website	Senator Mike Johanns

Michael Owen "Mike" Johanns (born June 18, 1950) is an American Republican politician who has been the junior United States Senator from Nebraska since 2009. Previously he was the 38th Governor of Nebraska from 1999 to 2005 and was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2005 to 2007, becoming the fourth Nebraskan to hold the position. On November 4, 2008, Johanns was elected to the United States Senate for the state of Nebraska, becoming one of only two new Republican senators (with Jim Risch of Idaho) heading into the 111th United States Congress. In 2002 Johanns served as a Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association.

Early life

Johanns was born in Osage, Iowa, and grew up living and working on his family's farm. After graduating from high school, Johanns went on to study at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona. He earned a law degree from Creighton University. After his graduation, Johanns began practicing law in O'Neill and Lincoln, Nebraska.

Early political career

Johanns served on the Lancaster County Board from 1983 to 1987 as a Democrat. In 1988 he was elected to the Lincoln City Council where he served from 1989 to 1991. He was elected as Mayor of Lincoln in 1991 and 1995: the last Republican elected to that office to date. (His successor, Dale Young, was appointed by the Lincoln City Council.)

Governor of Nebraska

Mike Johanns speaks after being nominated by George W. Bush for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

He then ran successfully for Governor of Nebraska in 1998 by defeating Democratic opponent Bill Hoppner by a margin of 54% to 46%. He won reelection in 2002 by a landslide, defeating Democrat Stormy Dean by a margin of 69% to 27%.

Agriculture Secretary

On December 2, 2004, Johanns was nominated by President George W. Bush to replace outgoing Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman. As a result, he scrapped plans to run against Democratic Senator Ben Nelson in 2006. Johanns was confirmed by the Senate on January 20, 2005, hours after Bush's second inauguration. He tendered his resignation as Governor of Nebraska on that day. On the next day he was sworn in.

U.S. Senate

2008 election

On September 20, 2007, he resigned as Agriculture Secretary to run for the United States Senate. Johanns officially announced his bid on October 10, 2007 to run for the Senate seat to be vacated by Senator Chuck Hagel, who decided not to run for re-election. On November 4, 2008, he was elected to the United States Senate, defeating Democratic nominee Scott Kleeb in the general election.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
  • Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support
• Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions
  • Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development
  • Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment
• Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
  • Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion
  • Subcommittee on Science and Space
  • Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
• Committee on Indian Affairs
• Impeachment Trial Committee on the Articles against Judge G. Thomas Porteous, Jr.

Caucus memberships

• International Conservation Caucus
• Parkinson’s Disease Caucus (Co-Chair)
• Sportsmen's Caucus

Personal life

Johanns is married to Stephanie Johanns, a former Lancaster County Commissioner and Nebraska State Senator. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Governors of Nebraska Territorial (1854–1867) Burt · Cuming (acting) · Izard · Cuming (acting) · Richardson · Morton (acting) · Black · Morton (acting) · Paddock · Saunders State (since 1867) Butler · James (acting)  · Furnas · Garber · Nance · Dawes · Thayer · Boyd · Crounse · Holcomb · Poynter · Dietrich · Savage · Mickey · Sheldon · Shallenberger · Aldrich · Morehead · Neville · McKelvie · Bryan · McMullen · Weaver · Bryan · Cochran · Griswold · Peterson · Crosby · Anderson · Brooks · Burney · Morrison · Tiemann · Exon · Thone · Kerrey · Orr · Nelson · Johanns · Heineman

United States Senators from Nebraska Class 1 Tipton · Paddock · Van Wyck · Paddock · Allen · Hayward · Allen · Dietrich · Burkett · G. Hitchcock · Howell · Thompson · Hunter · Burke · Butler · Reynolds · Hruska · Zorinsky · Karnes · Kerrey · Nelson Class 2 Thayer · P. Hitchcock · Saunders · Manderson · Thurston · Millard · Brown · Norris · Wherry · Seaton · Griswold · Bowring · Abel · Curtis · Exon · Hagel · Johanns

United States Secretaries of Agriculture Coleman • Rusk • Morton • Wilson • Houston • Meredith • HC Wallace • Gore • Jardine • Hyde • HA Wallace • Wickard • Anderson • Brannan • Benson • Freeman • Hardin • Butz • Knebel • Bergland • Block • Lyng • Yeutter • Madigan • Espy • Glickman • Veneman • Johanns • Schafer • Vilsack

Cabinet of President George W. Bush (2001–2009)  Cabinet Secretary of State Colin Powell (2001–2005) • Condoleezza Rice (2005–2009) Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill (2001–2002) • John W. Snow (2003–2006) • Henry Paulson (2006–2009) Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (2001–2006) • Robert Gates (2006–2009) Attorney General John Ashcroft (2001–2005) • Alberto Gonzales (2005–2007) • Michael Mukasey (2007–2009) Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton (2001–2006) • Dirk Kempthorne (2006–2009) Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman (2001–2005) • Mike Johanns (2005–2007) • Ed Schafer (2008–2009) Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans (2001–2005) • Carlos Gutierrez (2005–2009) Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao (2001–2009) Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson (2001–2005) • Mike Leavitt (2005–2009) Secretary of Education Rod Paige (2001–2005) • Margaret Spellings (2005–2009) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez (2001–2003) • Alphonso Jackson (2003–2008) • Steve Preston (2008–2009) Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta (2001–2006) • Mary Peters (2006–2009) Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham (2001–2005) • Samuel Bodman (2005–2009) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi (2001–2005) • Jim Nicholson (2005–2007) • James Peake (2007–2009) Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge (2003–2005) • Michael Chertoff (2005–2009)  Cabinet-level Vice President Dick Cheney (2001–2009) White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card (2001–2006) • Joshua Bolten (2006–2009) Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Christine Todd Whitman (2001–2003) • Mike Leavitt (2003–2005) • Stephen L. Johnson (2005–2009) Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mitch Daniels (2001–2003) • Joshua Bolten (2003–2006) • Rob Portman (2006–2007) • Jim Nussle (2007–2009) Director of National Drug Control Policy John P. Walters (2001–2009) Trade Representative Robert Zoellick (2001–2005) • Rob Portman (2005–2006) • Susan Schwab (2006–2009)