Retired respiratory therapist; substitute teacher

Henry Johns, a Democrat from Lawrence, was unopposed in the August 2026 primary and faces Republican Rep. Courtney Sappington on November 3¹. His campaign site says he served a decade in the U.S. Army Reserves Medical Corps and spent 48 years as a licensed respiratory therapist and manager, and that he later worked as a substitute teacher². He ran for the same seat in 2024, when he answered a Lawrence Times questionnaire³.

Where they stand 6 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• MarijuanaLegalize and regulate it like alcoholmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In the Lawrence Times 2024 candidate questionnaire he said he would support legalizing cannabis in Kansas "for any use (medicinal, recreational, etc.)." (2024-10) source
• School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In the 2024 Lawrence Times questionnaire he answered no to spending more public money on private schools through vouchers, charter schools or tax credits, writing "Public dollars are for public schools." (2024-10) source
• HealthcareKeep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is brokenlow

  Questionnaire answer · low confidence

  • In the 2024 Lawrence Times questionnaire he answered yes to expanding Medicaid in Kansas and named Medicaid expansion as a top issue. (2024-10) source
• AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low

  Questionnaire answer · low confidence

  • In the 2024 Lawrence Times questionnaire he wrote that politicians have "no business in reproductive decisions" and listed protecting reproductive rights as a top issue, including introducing legislation to protect reproductive health care procedures. (2024-10) source
• Gender care for minorsLeave it to parents and doctorslow

  Questionnaire answer · low confidence

  • In the 2024 Lawrence Times questionnaire he wrote that the legislature "has no role in determining what the lives or health care of anyone should be," in answer to a question about transgender kids. (2024-10) source
• GunsNo single answer fitslow

  Questionnaire answer · low confidence

  • In the 2024 Lawrence Times questionnaire he said he supports firearm safety measures, writing that safety, training and safe storage matter and asking why a person would be allowed to buy or carry a firearm without proof of training and proficiency; he described himself as a life member of the NRA and a gun owner. (2024-10) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Immigration, Energy and climate, Curriculum and books, Policing and crime, Housing and growth, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy, Student loans.