Ron Paul Campaign Press Release - Ron Paul Illinois Team Welcomes Endorsement from U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson

LAKE JACKSON, Texas — 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul was endorsed today by six-term U.S. Representative Tim Johnson of Illinois' 15^th Congressional District.

Rep. Johnson's district is located in East Central Illinois and contains the entire counties of Cumberland, Clark, Crawford, Edgar, Coles, Moultrie, Piatt, Douglas, Champaign, Vermilion, DeWitt, Iroquois, and Ford as well as parts of other counties. The 15^th C.D. spans roughly 10,000 square miles, from the Indiana border through the fields of Central Illinois.

In making his public endorsement, Rep. Johnson issued the following statement:

"I am honored to call Ron Paul my colleague and most importantly my friend. I have always admired Rep. Paul but my respect for this great man's leadership grows more all the time. He is one of the most principled men I have ever met.

"Whether it be advocating for troop withdrawal, reducing the reach of our government or reforming the tax code and our health care system, Ron Paul has been unwavering and an ideological champion for all of us.

"The Ron Paul Revolution has indeed taken hold in this country and I am proud to be able to stand with this great American."

Rep. Johnson was elected for a sixth term in the House in November 2010. He is a proponent of small government, reducing our national debt, and fighting for the agricultural community of Illinois.

For over 30 years, Rep. Johnson was an Urbana lawyer, small businessman, realtor, farm operator, and educator. First elected to his district in 2001, Johnson had the unique capability to bring a variety of experiences to Washington, D.C. Owning and operating small businesses and farms gives him an understanding of the challenges facing families and small businesses across communities throughout Illinois.

Rep. Johnson was born on July 23, 1946 in Champaign, Illinois. He graduated from Urbana High School and continued his studies at West Point for a short time, before completing his degree in history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1972, he graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law, elected to the National Legal Honor Society. He has nine children and 11 grandchildren. Currently, Rep. Johnson and his family reside in Urbana, Illinois.

Of those in the Congress backing Dr. Paul's bid for the presidency, Rep. Johnson joins Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), his son Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), and former Rep. Bill Sali (R-ID).

Providing a strong boost to Ron Paul's Illinois and national operations, such endorsements present Ron Paul as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney. They also demonstrate that the 12-term Congressman from Texas has the only campaign organization capable of maintaining a 50-state competition with the moderate-establishment Romney.