Tim Johnson obit

Former U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson dies

 He was not on the list.

URBANA — Retired U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, 75, died Monday night at his Urbana home amid family and friends.

Mr. Johnson served in Congress from 2001 to 2013. Before that he was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1977 to 2001. He began his political career more than 50 years ago when he was elected to the Urbana City Council in 1971.

He never lost an election race, most recently being elected to the board of Champaign's Parkland College in 2015. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

He was the U.S. representative for Illinois's 15th congressional district, serving from 2001 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party and did not run for re-election in 2012.

Johnson was born in Champaign to Robert and Margaret Evans Johnson, and spent his childhood in Urbana, where he graduated from Urbana High School.

He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1964, followed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Johnson majored in history and graduated in 1969 Phi Beta Kappa, receiving the Bronze tablet, an honor given to the top 3% of undergraduates. In 1972, Johnson graduated with honors from the University of Illinois College of Law and was elected to the Order of the Coif, a national legal honor society.

Johnson greets constituents at the annual Mill Creek Lake Steak Fry, held in Edgar County, Illinois.

In 1971, Johnson was elected to the city council of Urbana, Illinois.

In 2004, Johnson raised $533,478 in campaign funds, less than half the national average for a Republican running for reelection ($1,206,138). The 2004 campaign fundraising was about a quarter of the $1,943,630 raised by his initial campaign in 2000; that in turn was nearly double the amount raised by his fellow freshmen Republicans ($1,171,118). Johnson defeated Democratic candidate David Gill 61% to 39% .

In his 2000 campaign, Johnson pledged not to serve more than three terms. However, he ran for re-election in 2008 and 2010. Johnson "underestimated the value of seniority," spokesman Phil Bloomer says of his boss' decision to run for a fifth term. "As a rookie going in, (he) didn't understand what he could accomplish for his district by being there a longer period."

In the 2006 election in November, Johnson again faced Democrat David Gill.

At the end of June 2006, Johnson had over $130,000 available for spending for his 2006 campaign, more than double the total amount raised by his opponent at that point. In the 2006 midterm elections, he was reelected by a slightly narrower 58-42% margin.