Terry grew up in a blue collar family, and learned to work hard and rely upon himself and his family, not the government. He grew up believing that, as an American, he could be anything he wanted to be. The first of the Johnson family to ever attend college, Terry worked hard and excelled at all he did.

Terry, a life-long resident of Scioto County, graduated from Northwest High School in 1975, and received a bachelor’s degree in history from Ohio University, graduating Summa cum Laude in 1985. Then, in 1991, he graduated as a physician from the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OUCOM). He completed his residency training in Family Practice at Doctor’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and in 1994 he returned to his hometown to practice medicine.

Terry served in the military. Retiring as a Colonel in October of 2011, Terry wrapped up an extraordinary and distinguished military career in the Ohio Army National Guard. In just twelve years, he became a full Colonel. A Senior Flight Surgeon, he became the Ohio Army National Guard’s first State Aviation Medical Officer. He finished his career as the State Surgeon of the Ohio Army National Guard, the highest position attainable for a Medical Corps officer at the time of his service.

Terry served as Scioto County Coroner from 2002 through 2010, and left that position when he was elected as State Representative in Ohio’s 89th District.

Terry is a Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine and an Assistant Dean at OUCOM. He is the former Director of the Family Practice Residency at Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC).

Terry believes that we need to restore the supremacy of the patient/physician relationship in all aspects of American medicine, and get back to the basics of what good patient care really means.

He understands that the United States of America is exceptional because of the manner in which it was founded. God was at the center of that process, and His will was woven into the very fabric of our founding documents, especially the United States Constitution. American rights, American liberties, based on God’s law and His undeniable influence in the birth and subsequent course of our nation, formed the foundation for America’s greatness, and for her goodness. Terry believes that the principles of God provide the foundation for effective government and society and therefore he has great faith in the American system.

Before all of Terry’s events and meetings, a prayer is offered, and the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag is recited. Terry is not ashamed of his Christian religion or of his love for his country, and he is certainly not afraid of those who seek to diminish or disparage either of these.

In the Ohio House of Representatives, he serves on the Health and Aging Committee as well as the Transportation and Homeland Security Committee.

A staunch supporter of the US Constitution and basic American rights and liberties, Terry has supported all legislation that strengthens our founding principles and preserves our freedoms. A strong proponent of American business and jobs, Terry has done everything he can to get government off the backs and out of the way of Ohio businesses and workers.

Recognizing that southern Ohio’s many transportation assets are essential to economic recovery and prosperity, Dr. Johnson hosted a River Summit last year in Lawrence County along with State Representative John Carey. Building upon the successes of that summit, Terry recently participated as a panelist and moderator in an Intermodal Summit that was held at Shawnee State University. River, rail and highway leaders, from both the private and governmental sectors, came together to explore how to unlock the staggering economic potential of these assets. During the summit, Terry emphasized the need for regional collaboration and problem solving. In his opinion, many key opportunities will come as transportation infrastructure is strengthened and rebuilt and as we make our area more attractive for businesses to locate here.

Terry has been married to his wife, Jennifer, for 21 years. He has four children. His oldest son, Jesse, graduated from Portsmouth High School and Ohio University. His son Steve graduated from Northwest High School and Ohio Christian University. His son Tye graduated from Valley High School and is now a sophomore at The Ohio State University. His youngest son Nick is a senior at Valley High Scholl this year. All four of his boys were active in scouting and in high school varsity sports. Notably, the younger two, Tye and Nick, also achieved the exceptional rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. He has one grandchild, Kaylin, who just started kindergarten at Portsmouth Elementary, and loves to help her “pa-paw” in parades.