Debbie Johnson grew up in a small town in Texas.

She is too independent to be either a Democrat or a Republican.

She moved to our city as a young teenager and attended R.P. Dobbs middle school before moving on to the MLK Magnet as a sophomore.

She graduated in 2002 and won a full scholarship to State University where she earned degrees in Political Science and Finance. Graduating summa cum laude, she was invited to intern at the Peabody firm, located back in our city. After a successful stint there, during which time she married her high school sweet heart and began raising two children, she decided she wanted something more.

Serving on the school board, then later as council person for the 53 district, she decided she wanted to take her calm, methodological approach to Washington. She cares bout which side of an issue you are on, not which side of the aisle.

When asked who her favorite role model would be, she responds, "the fictional Bruce Wayne".

Debbie is no-nonsense but with a great sense of humor and a fervent passion for our city, our state, our country and our democratic system. She and her husband Joe, their two children Sarah and Louise, are members of First Presbyterian Church, where Joe serves on the diaconate.