The Vote Ledger
/
Data through Sep 17, 2026Compare members
The Vote Ledger
JJ

John Bennett Johnston Jr.

Senator from Louisiana
SENATEDEMOCRAT1973–1997ID J000189
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
61%with Dems
of 4,656 votes
Nominations
74%with Dems
of 31 · confirmations only
All contested
61%with Dems
of 4,687 · both combined
Steepest move
+21 pts
1977 → 1979
still a Democrat

Career arc

Legislation leads. Each point is one Congress: how often they sided with the Democratic majority on contested bills, resolutions and amendments.

100%75%50%25%0%sides with Democrats ↑sides with Republicans ↓1973197919851991
1995–96104th Congress
Sat as a Democrat
71.2%with Democrats
legislation only
Votes for this Congress are open below
Steepest move: 1977 → 1979, +21 pts — while still a Democrat.
Sat as a DemocratSat as a RepublicanVotes available below

Votes

DateBillVoteTypeCastSided with
Oct 3, 1996H.R. 3539A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Oct 3, 1996H.R. 3539A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONNAYREP MAJORITY
Oct 3, 1996H.R. 3539A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Full textA bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.Party majoritiesDemocrats Nay · Republicans YeaCounts toward scoreYes — the parties split.
Where this lands
YEASided with the Republican majority
Sep 30, 1996H.R. 4278A bill making omnibus consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Sep 26, 1996H.R. 1833A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to ban partial-birth abortions.LEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Sep 24, 1996H.R. 1350A bill to amend the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 to revitalize the United States-flag merchant marine, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Sep 24, 1996H.R. 1350To prohibit the use of funds received as a payment or subsidy for lobbying or public education and to prohibit the use of certain funds received as a payment or subsidy for making political contributions for the purpose of influencing an election.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
Sep 24, 1996H.R. 1350To clarify the term fair and reasonable compensation and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
Sep 24, 1996H.R. 1350To provide for payment by the Secretary of Transportation of certain ocean freight charges for Federal food or export assistance.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
9 most recent roll calls shown · 591 contested votes scored in the 104th CongressAll votes this Congress →

By policy area

career · legislation
Economics and Public Finance64.3% · 1,244 votes
Armed Forces and National Security57.7% · 435 votes
Government Operations and Politics70.1% · 432 votes
International Affairs60.9% · 266 votes
Energy30.1% · 186 votes
Taxation46.8% · 171 votes
Agriculture and Food62.1% · 169 votes
Labor and Employment86.2% · 159 votes
Foreign Trade and International Finance74.6% · 138 votes
Transportation and Public Works59.8% · 117 votes
Crime and Law Enforcement50% · 102 votes
Social Welfare85.1% · 101 votes
Congress59.4% · 96 votes
Education51.1% · 90 votes
Public Lands and Natural Resources54.1% · 85 votes
Commerce66.2% · 71 votes
Immigration62.9% · 70 votes
Environmental Protection51.5% · 66 votes
Finance and Financial Sector54.5% · 66 votes
Law59.7% · 62 votes
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues62.7% · 59 votes
Health40% · 50 votes
Housing and Community Development77.4% · 31 votes
Animals21.7% · 23 votes
Depletion allowances31.8% · 22 votes
Science, Technology, Communications59.1% · 22 votes
Sports and Recreation55% · 20 votes
Income tax72.2% · 18 votes
Power resources52.9% · 17 votes
Independent regulatory commissions6.3% · 16 votes
Water Resources Development25% · 16 votes
Congressional-Presidential relations54.5% · 11 votes
Families90.9% · 11 votes
Political participation70% · 10 votes
Too few contested votes to score
Automobile insurance— · 8 votes
Economic stabilization— · 8 votes
Public works— · 8 votes
Solar heating and cooling— · 8 votes
Amnesties— · 7 votes
Age and employment— · 6 votes
Constitutional amendments— · 5 votes
Day care— · 5 votes
Intergovernmental relations— · 5 votes
Mortgages— · 5 votes
Native Americans— · 5 votes
Petroleum industry— · 5 votes
Black lung— · 4 votes
Credit— · 4 votes
Embargo— · 4 votes
Industrial relations— · 4 votes
Territories (U.S.)— · 4 votes
Heating— · 3 votes
Mines and mineral resources— · 3 votes
Motor vehicles— · 3 votes
Range management— · 3 votes
District of Columbia— · 2 votes
Government corporations— · 2 votes
Government securities— · 2 votes
Political representation— · 2 votes
Private Legislation— · 2 votes
Congressional oversight— · 1 vote
Conservation of natural resources— · 1 vote
Dairy industry— · 1 vote
Disaster relief— · 1 vote
Government publications— · 1 vote
Lobbying— · 1 vote
Monuments and memorials— · 1 vote
Ships and shipping— · 1 vote
Vietnamese Conflict— · 1 vote

They also voted in 43 areas where the parties never split, so there is nothing to score — never on a contested question: Arts, Culture, Religion, Auditing, Awards, medals, prizes, Child abuse, Child welfare, Commemorations, Congressional-executive relations, Disabled, Droughts, Electronic surveillance, Emergency Management, Executive reorganization, Explosives, Federal advisory bodies, Gambling, Gold, Home repair and improvement, Human experimentation in medicine, Import restrictions, Interest, Intergovernmental fiscal relations, International monetary system, Investment guaranty insurance, Lakes, Land use, Lead poisoning, Livestock, Medical supplies, Mobile homes, Municipal finance, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Postal rates and revenues, Postal service, Reclamation of land, Refugees, Revenue sharing, Right of privacy, Rivers, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Strategic materials, Terrorism.

Blue is the share of votes siding with the Democratic majority; the tick marks 50%.

Service record

12 Congresses
93rd · 1973104th · 1995
Democrat · Senate · LA93rd–104th
Term datesexact
Members · Louisiana
JJ

John Bennett Johnston Jr.

Senator from Louisiana
SENATED1973–199712 CONGRESSES
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
60.7%with Democrats
of 4,656 votes · 39.3% with Republicans
Nominations74%of 31 votes
All contested61%of 4,687 · combined
Steepest move+21 pts1977→79, as a Democrat

Career arc

10050019731995
1995–96 · 104th · Democrat71.2%

Legislation leads. Tap a point to read that Congress.

Votes

Democratic majorityNay
Republican majorityYea
Counts toward scoreYes
Open roll call
Latest 6 shown · 591 contested votes scored in the 104th

By policy area

career
Economics and Public Finance64.3% · 1,244
Armed Forces and National Security57.7% · 435
Government Operations and Politics70.1% · 432
International Affairs60.9% · 266
Energy30.1% · 186
Taxation46.8% · 171
Agriculture and Food62.1% · 169
Labor and Employment86.2% · 159
Foreign Trade and International Finance74.6% · 138
Transportation and Public Works59.8% · 117
Crime and Law Enforcement50% · 102
Social Welfare85.1% · 101
Congress59.4% · 96
Education51.1% · 90
Public Lands and Natural Resources54.1% · 85
Commerce66.2% · 71
Immigration62.9% · 70
Environmental Protection51.5% · 66
Finance and Financial Sector54.5% · 66
Law59.7% · 62
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues62.7% · 59
Health40% · 50
Housing and Community Development77.4% · 31
Animals21.7% · 23
Depletion allowances31.8% · 22
Science, Technology, Communications59.1% · 22
Sports and Recreation55% · 20
Income tax72.2% · 18
Power resources52.9% · 17
Independent regulatory commissions6.3% · 16
Water Resources Development25% · 16
Congressional-Presidential relations54.5% · 11
Families90.9% · 11
Political participation70% · 10
Automobile insurance— · 8
Economic stabilization— · 8
Public works— · 8
Solar heating and cooling— · 8
Amnesties— · 7
Age and employment— · 6
Constitutional amendments— · 5
Day care— · 5
Intergovernmental relations— · 5
Mortgages— · 5
Native Americans— · 5
Petroleum industry— · 5
Black lung— · 4
Credit— · 4
Embargo— · 4
Industrial relations— · 4
Territories (U.S.)— · 4
Heating— · 3
Mines and mineral resources— · 3
Motor vehicles— · 3
Range management— · 3
District of Columbia— · 2
Government corporations— · 2
Government securities— · 2
Political representation— · 2
Private Legislation— · 2
Congressional oversight— · 1
Conservation of natural resources— · 1
Dairy industry— · 1
Disaster relief— · 1
Government publications— · 1
Lobbying— · 1
Monuments and memorials— · 1
Ships and shipping— · 1
Vietnamese Conflict— · 1

Also voted in 43 areas where the parties never split — never on a contested question: Arts, Culture, Religion, Auditing, Awards, medals, prizes, Child abuse, Child welfare, Commemorations, Congressional-executive relations, Disabled, Droughts, Electronic surveillance, Emergency Management, Executive reorganization, Explosives, Federal advisory bodies, Gambling, Gold, Home repair and improvement, Human experimentation in medicine, Import restrictions, Interest, Intergovernmental fiscal relations, International monetary system, Investment guaranty insurance, Lakes, Land use, Lead poisoning, Livestock, Medical supplies, Mobile homes, Municipal finance, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Postal rates and revenues, Postal service, Reclamation of land, Refugees, Revenue sharing, Right of privacy, Rivers, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Strategic materials, Terrorism.

Service record

93rd · 1973104th · 1995
Democrat93rd–104th

Party switchers

John Alexander LoganD→R · IL · 40thWesley Wade WatkinsD→R · OK · 105thBen Nighthorse CampbellD→R · CO · 104th
AD320 × 50 · Anchor