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R. LeWayne Johnson
R. LeWayne Johnson (Democratic Party) (also known as Robert) is running for election to the Florida House of Representatives to represent District 46. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.
Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
R. LeWayne Johnson was born in Leland, Mississippi. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1985 to 1987 and the U.S. Army Reserve from 1987 to 2016. He earned a bachelor's degree from Aurora University in 1979, a graduate degree from the University of Indianapolis in 1996, and a Ph.D. from Walden University in 2012. His career experience includes working as a CEO and attorney.[1] He worked as a foreign military sales assistant program manager with the U.S. Department of Navy from 2019 to 2023.[2][3]
Johnson has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- Director: Mercy’s Foundation Homeless Veterans’ Program - February 2022
- Planning Commissioner for Osceola County District 3 (Vice Chair) - February 2022
- Committee member: Osceola Sheriff’s Department Veterans’ Advisory Committee - December 2021
- Congressional Advisory Council for Justice (Florida Congressional 9th District) - September 2021
- Director of Compliance: Fulbright International Honors Association - August 2020
- CEO & President: The Florida Coalition to Prevent Veterans’ Homelessness - March 2020
- President & Founder: Osceola County Veterans’ Caucus of FL - February 2019
- Veterans’ Liaison: Osceola County NAACP - 2019
- Communication Chair: OCDEC
- Golden Key International Honor Society
- Delta Mu Delta
- Marquis Who's Who
- U.S. Library of Congress
Elections
2026
See also: Florida House of Representatives elections, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Florida House of Representatives District 46
R. LeWayne Johnson, Kenneth Quinones, and Ivan Rivera are running in the general election for Florida House of Representatives District 46 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | R. LeWayne Johnson (D)  | |
| Kenneth Quinones (D) | ||
| Ivan Rivera (No Party Affiliation) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2024
See also: Florida House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Florida House of Representatives District 46
Jose Alvarez defeated Michael Cruz and Ivan Rivera in the general election for Florida House of Representatives District 46 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jose Alvarez (D) | 57.0 | 33,142 |
 | Michael Cruz (R) | 39.6 | 23,016 | |
| Ivan Rivera (No Party Affiliation) | 3.4 | 1,968 | ||
| Total votes: 58,126 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Florida House of Representatives District 46
Jose Alvarez defeated R. LeWayne Johnson, Jacqueline Centeno, and Vanessa Alvarez in the Democratic primary for Florida House of Representatives District 46 on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jose Alvarez | 39.4 | 2,685 |
| R. LeWayne Johnson | 25.6 | 1,745 | |
| Jacqueline Centeno | 18.4 | 1,257 | ||
| Vanessa Alvarez | 16.6 | 1,133 | ||
| Total votes: 6,820 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Florida House of Representatives District 46
Michael Cruz defeated Christian De La Torre in the Republican primary for Florida House of Representatives District 46 on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Michael Cruz | 59.9 | 1,995 |
 | Christian De La Torre | 40.1 | 1,334 | |
| Total votes: 3,329 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Johnson in this election.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
R. LeWayne Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am the Chief Executive Officer of The Florida Coalition to Prevent Veteran Homelessness, Inc., an organization that I founded in 2021 for the purpose of preventing Veterans’ Homelessness and ending Veterans’ Homelessness across Florida.
Since 2020, I have been active with the Walden University Chapter of the Fulbright Association where I have served in a Pro bono capacity as the acting Director of Compliance. During this tenure, I spearheaded an effort to partner with the Wounded Warriors’ Program to raise awareness and support for U.S. and Canadian wounded military service men and women who were homeless and suffering from PTSD.
I have an exceptionally broad academic background as part of my portfolio. I hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University where I graduated summa cum laude in 2012. I also hold a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Taxation, cum laude, from St. Thomas University College of Law, (2006). I also hold a Juris Doctor (JD) from the Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law at Barry University.- Rectify affordable housing and property insurance.
- Eradicate Veterans' Homelessness.
- Advocate for equal justice across the spectrum with an unyielding and unapologetic voice for LGBTQ people and a steadfast defender of reproductive rights.
I will fight to raise teachers' pay and to raise Florida’s minimum wage to help hardworking Floridians keep the lights on and food on the table. I’ll continue that work in the Florida House of Representatives.
After hard much work and perseverance, in 2003, I became an attorney after receiving his JURIS doctorate (JD) from the Barry University School of Law. I then received a Master of Law (LLM) in international taxation in 2006. After that, I received my PhD in public policy and administration in 2012 from Walden University. Although some people like my dad thought college was unnecessary, “I believe that where one is, is not always where one must be and just because I was born and raised on a plantation in Mississippi didn't mean that I had to stay there.” “I didn't have to stay in that frame of mind that education never got anybody anything, I had to get off of that plantation and my way of getting off of it was through education.”
The skills and abilities of these individuals vary greatly based upon their individual backgrounds, but I think there are a few very important qualities that a person should have to be successful in an elected position: (a) Honesty, (b) integrity, (c) courtesy, and (d) common sense.
First, a person must be willing to listen respectfully to both sides of an issue before making up his/her mind.
Second, you must be willing to embrace partnering. No one can accomplish anything alone. You must be a team player. It takes a majority of the votes of any board to get anything accomplished and you must be willing to spend the time and effort to build a consensus on an issue if you are to have success, even when that means working with people you have had disagreements within the past. An elected official is too burdened with responsibility to carry around personal grudges.
Third, the elected official must be responsive and accessible to their constituents. If one cannot defend a decision publicly to his/her constituents, it probably was not a good decision.
Fourth, the elected official must be humble enough to be willing to admit to mistakes and to take what corrective action is necessary to resolve an issue. Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes at some point in their life. The biggest mistake of all is not fixing them when they happen.
Fifth, fix windows instead of throwing rocks. It is far more beneficial to the community you serve to fix problems rather than laying blame.
The assassination of my uncle drove me to pursue a degree in law. my uncle was beaten, shot, then tied to a tractor battery and pushed into a lake in Mississippi. His wife was also murdered and raped.
Despite the gruesome assault and about 32 bullet wounds, the coroner ruled the cause of death as drowning. My uncle was assassinated in a similar style to Emmett Till.
Music got me off the cotton field. In the 10th grade, I saved money from picking cotton to make a down payment on a trombone. After finishing the payment, I purchased and practiced the trombone for college auditions. At first, I was skeptical about pursuing college because racism had taught me, I wasn’t smart enough to excel academically, but the faith of my role models convinced me to audition. I was so good playing that I earned admission to Lane College, Jackson, Tennessee where I remained for two years.
Determined to expand my knowledge, I applied and received an academic scholarship to Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. The Black student population was less than 1% at the time. While attending Aurora University, I participated in their international exchange program where I traveled all over Europe for six months then returned for my degree.
These are both statutory and inherent to the position of Governor. In fact, the state constitutions or state statutes spell out the specific powers of the governors: (1) the power to veto legislation, (2) to pardon or commute the sentences of convicted criminals, (3) to author a state budget, and (4) to call a special session of the state legislature.
The three key functions performed by state legislatures are (1) lawmaking, (2) constituency service, and (3) oversight. Legislatures differ in size, diversity, party composition, and level of professionalism across the fifty states.
Additionally, there exist issues with equal justice across the spectrum with an unyielding and unapologetic voice for LGBTQ people and of reproductive rights. I also see affordable housing solutions, cannabis legalization, and bold action on climate change as being some of Florida's challenges.
As a 34 year Combat Veterans to be elected to serve in the Florida State’s House of Representatives District 39, I know that if we want to change Florida, we have to change the people we send to represent us. My 38 years in the federal government, 34 years of military leadership, and academic achievements are beneficial to be a state legislator.
In my efforts to help our fallen Sisters and Brothers, in Orange County, I have established: The Florida Coalition to Prevent Veteran Homelessness, Inc. This is a forward-thinking organization that pulls together community resources to help veterans specifically. As the CEO of the organization, I recently put together in Kissimmee, FL, a Veterans' job fair in June of 2022, with another one in November 12th (St Cloud) of 2022. I am currently partnering with the Mercy Foundation - as their Director of the Homeless Veterans’ Program and the City of Kissimmee to conduct yet another Veterans’ Resources Fair on 11 November 2023.
Furthermore, as a subject matter expert, your greatest value is most likely your ability to become a resource through your knowledge of your school’s contributions to your community, your expertise on issues related to oral health and higher education or things that are important to your district.
Moved by the man's situation, I contacted the Salvation Army and the Mercy Foundation to get the man and his pregnant wife, who were living a plastic tent in the woods at the time, into a shelter.
By statute, it would appear that the Florida's Governor could proclaim a state of emergency “… after finding that a public disorder, disaster, energy emergency, or riot exists within this state or any part thereof which affects life, health, property, or the public peace…” and in the current climate of Cancel Culture, a public disorder, which affects life, health, ban books, property or the public peace could be something quite banal to a majority of people but triggering others who are left feeling ‘unsafe.’
This countries' founders had the foresight to see that unchecked, singular powder is the threshold to tyranny, thus created the three-fold balance of power between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. These executive orders fly in the face of this foundational principle.
Special interest groups however, can exert influence, potentially distorting public perception and agendas. The complexity of ballot issues coupled with voter education challenges can lead to confusion and unintended outcomes. Understanding the pros and cons of these initiatives is essential for informed decision-making.
Changes to consider:
Empowering citizens to shape policy directly; Drafting legislation to ensure public participation in lawmaking; Allowing citizens to have significant impacts on legislation and establishing such system flexibility to be influenced by special interests.
In summary, the use of ballot initiatives in the political process allows for enhanced citizen empowerment and direct democracy participation.
These initiatives, however, can also be influenced by special interests, lead to intricate issues, unintended consequences, and pose challenges for voter education.
I noticed that the man was wearing a military cap, so I asked if he was a veteran. The man replied that he was, but that the VA had been unresponsive to his claims thus, resulting in his losing his apartment and begging on the streets.
1. Implement automatic voter registration for all eligible citizens at the time of obtaining or renewing a driver's license or state ID.
2. Expand early voting periods and locations to increase accessibility for all voters.
3. Mandate the use of paper ballots alongside electronic voting machines for improved security and auditability.
4. Establish a statewide online portal for voter registration and ballot tracking.
5. Increase funding for election security measures, including cybersecurity training for election officials.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2024
R. LeWayne Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Since 2020, Dr. Johnson has been also active with the Walden University Chapter of the Fulbright Association where he has served in a Pro bono capacity as the acting Director of Compliance. During this tenure, he spearheaded an effort to partner with the Wounded Warriors’ Program to raise awareness and support for U.S. and Canadian wounded military service men and women who were homeless and suffering from PTSD.
An exceptionally broad academic background is also part of Dr. Johnson’s portfolio. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University where he graduated summa cum laude in 2012. He also holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Taxation qualification, cum laude, from St. Thomas University College of Law, where he graduated in 2006. Dr. Johnson also holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from the Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law at Barry University.- Rectify affordable housing and property insurance.
- Eradicate Veterans' Homelessness.
- Advocate for equal justice across the spectrum with an unyielding and unapologetic voice for LGBTQ people and a steadfast defender of reproductive rights.
My campaign is about giving people HOPE… Hope that in Florida we can still elect people who care about people and who stand for something. Together, we can build an inclusive Florida where everyone has the freedom to be healthy, prosperous, and safe.
After hard much work and perseverance, in 2003, I became an attorney after receiving his JURIS doctorate (JD) from the Barry University School of Law. I then received a Master of Law (LLM) in international taxation in 2006. After that, I received my PhD in public policy and administration in 2012 from Walden University. Although some people like my dad thought college was unnecessary, “I believe that where one is, is not always where one must be and just because I was born and raised on a plantation in Mississippi didn't mean that I had to stay there.” “I didn't have to stay in that frame of mind that education never got anybody anything, I had to get off of that plantation and my way of getting off of it was through education.”
(a) Honesty, (b) integrity, (c) courtesy, and (d) common sense.
First, a person must be willing to listen respectfully to both sides of an issue before making up his/her mind.
Second, you have to be willing to embrace partnering. No one can accomplish anything alone. You must be a team player. It takes a majority of the votes of any board to get anything accomplished and you must be willing to spend the time and effort to build a consensus on an issue if you are to have success, even when that means working with people you have had disagreements with in the past. An elected official is too burdened with responsibility to carry around personal grudges.
Third, the elected official must be responsive and accessible to their constituents. If one cannot defend a decision publicly to his/her constituents, it probably was not a good decision.
Fourth, the elected official must be humble enough to be willing to admit to mistakes and to take what corrective action is necessary to resolve an issue. Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes at some point in their life. The biggest mistake of all is not fixing them when they happen.
Fifth, fix windows instead of throwing rocks. It is far more beneficial to the community you serve to fix problems rather than laying blame.
The assassination of my Uncle drove me to pursue a degree in law. my uncle was beaten, shot, then tied to a tractor battery and pushed into a lake in Mississippi. His wife was also murdered and raped. Despite the gruesome assault and about 32 bullet wounds, the coroner ruled the cause of death as drowning. My uncle was assassinated in a similar style to Emmett Till. Like Emmett Till, my uncle, and other Black people living in the Jim Crow era, crimes were not fully investigated. The coroner later confessed to my mom that her brother was murdered. “My mom said ‘well, why did you say it was a drowning?’ the corner replied, ‘I’m Black, I didn’t have a choice...the people who did it told me that if I wanted to keep my business, if I wanted to keep my family, if I didn't want to be next, I needed to keep my mouth closed.’ As a result, nobody pressed charges because nobody knew the law. That was when I told my family I would be a lawyer and that this will never happen to us again.”
Determined to expand my knowledge, I applied and received an academic scholarship to Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. The Black student population was less than 1% at the time. While attending Aurora University, I participated in their international exchange program where I traveled all over Europe for six months then returned for my degree. “That was the first graduation my mom had ever attended. I was the first in my family to finish college and all my siblings, cousins, aunt were in the audience for my graduation. It was the proudest moment of my life.”
Additionally, there exist issues with equal justice across the spectrum with an unyielding and unapologetic voice for LGBTQ people and of reproductive rights. I also see affordable housing solutions, cannabis legalization, and bold action on climate change as being some of Florida's challenges. We must fight to raise teachers' pay and to raise Florida’s minimum wage to help hardworking Floridians keep the lights on and food on the table.
As a 34 year Combat Veterans to be elected to serve in the Florida State’s House of Representatives District 46, I know that if we want to change Florida, we have to change the people we send to represent us. My 38 years in the federal government, 34 years of military leadership, and academic achievements are beneficial to be a state legislator.
Furthermore, as a subject matter expert, your greatest value is most likely your ability to become a resource through your knowledge of your school’s contributions to your community, your expertise on issues related to oral health and higher education or things that are important to your district.
I have previously served as an Assistant Program Manager for Foreign Military Services (FMS) in the Navy. Today, as an entrepreneur and advocate, I Have harnessed the power of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to help veterans find jobs, start businesses, and secure quality health care and mental health services. I will leverage these skill sets to make Florida better.
By statute, it would appear that the Florida's Governor could proclaim a state of emergency “… after finding that a public disorder, disaster, energy emergency, or riot exists within this state or any part thereof which affects life, health, property, or the public peace…” and in the current climate of Cancel Culture, a public disorder, which affects life, health, ban books, property or the public peace could be something quite banal to a majority of people but triggering others who are left feeling ‘unsafe.’
This countries founders had the foresight to see that unchecked, singular powder is the threshold to tyranny, thus created the three-fold balance of power between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. These executive orders fly in the face of this foundational principle.
2.) Education & Employment Committee
3.) Infrastructure Strategies Committee
4.) State Affairs Committee
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Florida House of Representatives District 46 |
Personal |
Footnotes
