Published: November 05, 2009 01:59 pm      

Political newcomer makes bid for U.S. Senate

Bill Johnson is running his campaign for the U.S. Senate the old-fashioned way. He is attending community events across the state, meeting and speaking with residents about what they want to see from the person who will replace Jim Bunning.

Over the last five months, he has been stumping across the commonwealth, meeting with people at events like the World Chicken Festival and telling them why he wants to be the person to succeed Bunning.

Johnson lives in Christian County in western Kentucky. He is making his first foray into politics, quitting his job as a procurement director for BP Oil and making his campaign his full-time job when he decided he couldn’t support any of the current candidates.

“I just feel the need to step up and serve,” Johnson said.

Johnson described himself as a true conservative, both fiscally and philosophically, saying he would like to see the country return to the fiscal policies of President Ronald Reagan.

Johnson said Reagan’s efforts to cut taxes lifted the country out of the recession of the late 70s and early 80s.

"We have to cut taxes on individuals and corporations to revive the economy and keep our jobs here at home," Johnson said.

While Johnson agreed there are some changes that could benefit health care in the U.S., he is opposed the radical changes proposed by President Barrack Obama

To that end, Johnson wants to see measures to deal with health care costs such as tort reform so doctors and hospitals don’t have to practice defensive medicine. In addition, Johnson wants insurance companies to be able to cross state lines to compete for business.

"We have a cost problem and we need market-based solutions to address that problem," Johnson said.

Johnson said if he had to pick someone in the Senate he would like to emulate, it would be Bunning.

"Senator Bunning did not always cast a good vote, but he stood on principle and conviction," Johnson said, noting there is a lack of that in Washington D.C.

Johnson said if he is elected, he will not forget who got him there and has vowed to not make the U.S. Senate a career.

"If I am elected, I will only serve two terms (12 years)," Johnson said. "The others have talked about terms limits and the like, but I am the only one who has made that promise.

Johnson is a U.S. Navy veteran of the Gulf War. He and his wife, Delinda have two children, Will, 14, and Julia, 10. He served in the U He was employed as a procurement director for BP Oil but quit

More information about Johnson is available at www.kentuckybill.com.

Staff writer Dean Manning may be reached at dmanning@sentinel-echo.com.