GOP governor candidate Jeff Johnson retiring from politics

Published 8:07 pm Wednesday, November 14, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS — Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson said he is retiring from politics after losing his bid for Minnesota governor a second time.

Johnson said Monday he is retiring from the Hennepin County Board at the end of his term in 2020.

The 51-year-old commissioner said he thinks it’s “time to give someone else an opportunity to change things.”

Email newsletter signup

Johnson was the Republican-endorsed candidate for governor in 2014 and 2018. He lost to Democrat Tim Walz last week and to Democrat Mark Dayton four years ago.

Johnson said he plans to dedicate his final months on the County Board to the taxpayers.