Ron Johnson
RepublicanU.S. Senator, WI| Age | 71 (b. 1955-04-08) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2011-01-05 (~15 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Lutheran (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) |
| Education | B.S. in Business and Accounting, University of Minnesota, 1977; began MBA program, did not complete |
| Prior occupation | Businessman and CEO; co-founded Pacur LLC (plastics manufacturer) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with his brother-in-law in 1979; served as CEO from mid-1980s until 2010 |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Mankato, Minnesota |
| Marital status | married — Jane Curler Johnson |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Oshkosh, Wisconsin |
| Notable relatives | Jane's father Howard Curler was founder of Curwood Inc. and CEO of Bemis Company (major plastics/packaging industry figure) |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2010 |
| Committees | Senate Committee on Appropriations · Senate Committee on the Budget · Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs · Senate Committee on Foreign Relations · Senate Committee on Finance · Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (Chair) |
| Caucuses | Senate Ukraine Caucus (Vice Chair) · Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus · Senate Air Force Caucus · Senate Make America Healthy Again Caucus · Senate Marine Corps Caucus |
| Leadership | Chair, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (2015–2021) · Chair, Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (2025–present) |
| Ideology | One of the most conservative members of the U.S. Senate by voting record; consistently ranked to the right of the vast majority of Senate colleagues per GovTrack ideology scoring |
| Signature legislation | Right to Try Act (2018) — allows terminally ill patients access to experimental treatments; signed into law May 30, 2018 · Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015 (S.1180) — signed April 11, 2016 · Presidential Transition Improvements Act of 2015 · Presidential Transition Enhancements Act of 2019 · Fair Chance Act (2019) — requires federal agencies to delay criminal history inquiries until conditional job offer |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $18,350,000–$87,865,000 (2023) · estimate
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) | fund · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2022 |
| Charles Schwab & Co (money market/deposits) | fund · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2022 |
| Ronald H. and Jane K. Johnson, LLC (commercial real estate, Oshkosh, WI) | real_estate · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2024 |
| Campaign loan receivable (Ron Johnson for Senate committee debt to Johnson) | other · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2024 |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) | fund · $1,000,000–$5,000,000 · 2022 |
| DP Lenticular, Ltd (9.9% ownership stake) | business_owned · 2023 |
Top donors: Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein (Uline Inc.) ($277,100 direct + millions via Wisconsin Truth PAC (2022 cycle)) · Diane Hendricks (ABC Supply Co.) (At least $6.5 million to Wisconsin Truth PAC (2022 cycle)) · Joe Ricketts (founder of Ameritrade) ($1 million to outside groups supporting Johnson (2022 cycle))
Top industries: Securities & Investment · Manufacturing & Distribution · Real Estate · Finance, Insurance & Real Estate · Retired/Individual donors
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — FEC Administrative Fine for Failure to File 48-Hour Contribution Notices (2010 Campaign)
Ron Johnson's 2010 Senate campaign committee (Ron Johnson for Senate Inc.) was assessed a $15,216 FEC administrative fine for failing to file required 48-hour contribution notices covering $135,659.40 in contributions received in the final weeks of the 2010 general election campaign. The penalty was upheld and paid in full. Treasurer James J. Malczewski was jointly named in the action.