"Look, I don't know if I'll make a political comeback or, quite honestly, what I'll do next," Rep. Gene Johnston, R-NC, told me in 1982, shortly after his defeat for a second term in Congress. "But you know me. You know that whatever I've done, I did at one speed — full blast, all the way. That's how I'll do whatever endeavor I take on next."
That was Gene, in his own words. When I learned Tuesday that Johnston had died at age 82, I realized how right he was. He seemed to be Henry Rearden, the hard-charging entrepreneur in Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged," come to life. Johnston thrived in a variety of businesses —printing, insurance, property management — and then won a seat in Congress in 1980. After he left Congress, the North Carolinian threw himself into his eclectic interests--from the Salvador Dali Museum of Art in St. Petersburg, Florida to Hope Harbor, a home for men recovering from addictions, in his hometown of Greensboro.
And sandwiched somewhere between all these endeavors, Johnston took flying lessons and personally redecorated several large old homes he had purchased.
Having joined the U.S. Army at age 18, Walter Eugene Johnston, III was discharged after three years and then entered Wake Forest University. Within five years, he earned both an undergraduate degree in accounting and a law degree.
While working as a CPA in Greensboro, he launched business interests in the Fisher-Harrson Printing Company and Pace Publications (which produces flight magazines for Piedmont, United, and Delta Airlines). But his great passion was real estate development.
Twice beaten in races for the state legislature, Johnston in 1980 took on what seemed a hopeless task: He was the Republican nominee for Congress against Rep. L. Richardson Preyer, onetime federal judge and past Democratic candidate for governor. Johnston hit hard at what he denounced as Preyer's "leftist record" and closely identified himself with Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan. In November, Reagan swept the Tarheel State and Johnson unseated six-termer Preyer.
During his time in Congress, Johnston unhesitatingly supported Reagan's 1981 tax and budget measures. Former Rep. John Napier, R-S.C., who came to Congress with Johnston in 1980 and became one of his closest friends, recalled to Newsmax, "Gene's knowledge of economics and finance were immediately recognized. Years later, when [wife] Pam and Gene and his wife Karen went to London together, Gene had become an investor in [insurance titan] Lloyd's of London. Over lunch at a pub, one of the people connected with Lloyd's told me 'Gene's insight was listened to and respected more than just about anyone's."
But that was not enough to win re-election in the Tarheel State's Sixth District. 1982 was a Democratic year and the recovery from Reagan's initiatives had not taken effect. Twenty-six Republicans lost their House seats. One of them was Gene Johnston, who was unseated by Democrat Robin Britt.
He decided against a rematch with Britt in '84, and instead helped fellow Republican Howard Coble win the seat. In 1992, Johnston did attempt a comeback in politics by seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator. But he lost in a four-candidate primary won by fellow conservative and Sen.-to-be Lauch Faircloth.
Gene Johnston devoted his final years to passions other than politics — charity, the Methodist Church, the Foundling Museum in London and the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla. He also remained in touch with friends from his years in politics. As onetime colleague Napier put it, "Gene didn't suffer fools gladly, but he also was, to the end, a gentleman. I will miss him very much. So will a lot of people."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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