The Toledo Blade. Johnson, who would become governor if Taft resigned, told The Plain Dealer "You don't take this appointment and go through the confirmation process without knowing that you're prepared. But I don't expect it" and said he had not spoken to Taft about becoming governor. Johnson was by The Columbus Dispatch that "It's not gonna happen. The governor is going to serve out his term. But if something were to happen, I'm prepared to serve as governor." Representative Chris Redfern, a Democrat from Catawba Island and House minority leader told The Toledo Blade he welcomed Johnson as governor. "If Bruce Johnson were to ascend, he could offer real reform." The Dayton Daily News was dismayed with the prospect of Johnson becoming governor. Bruce Johnson got his job because of another scandal. This gets complicated: former Ohio State Treasurer Joe Deters saw two of his aides indicted. Damaged goods, he left in midterm to run for county prosecutor back home in Cincinnati. Gov. Taft moved then-Lt. Gov. Jennette Bradley into Mr. Deters' job by appointment, hoping she'll hold the spot for Republicans in 2006. And then the governor appointed his development director, Mr. Johnson, as lieutenant governor. The finagling has simply been rampant. For a man to become governor through that process and a gubernatorial scandal would be, uh, scandalous. Whether a new governor with that background would be even weaker than a convicted Gov. Taft is a close call. The decisive factor in determining who should be governor has to be that Gov. Taft was the one who was elected. Leaving office Johnson did not file to run for any office in the May 2, 2006, primary. His name was not mentioned in the public speculation as to who the leading Republican candidates for governor, Jim Petro and J. Kenneth Blackwell might pick as their running mate and was not tapped by either to continue in office. Johnson's term as lieutenant governor would have expired on January 7, 2007 but he announced on December 1, 2006 that he would resign on December 8. Governor Bob Taft did not appoint a replacement for the remaining month of the term before Lee Fisher, elected as Ted Strickland's running mate in November, took office. Johnson currently works as the President of the Inter-University Council of Ohio. References . Barbara Carmen. "Mayor Ready to Pick Chief: Johnson's Move Leaves Key City Hall