Johnathan Newman

Johnathan Newman (born July 5, 1968) is an American Christian pastor and Republican Party politician serving as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for the 80th district since January 2025.

Early life and education Newman earned bachelor’s degrees in theology and sociology from Union University in Tennessee and a master’s degree in divinity from Mid‑America Baptist Theological Seminary.

Religious and community leadership Since the late 1990s, Newman has served as founding senior pastor of Koinos Church in Troy, Ohio.

Political career Election In November 2024, Newman was elected to represent Ohio’s open House District 80, defeating Democrat Melissa VanDyke with 74.9% of the vote. During the 2024 campaign, local media featured Newman’s pastoral background and community leadership in their coverage of the open-seat contest.

Tenure Newman serves as vice-chair of the House Agriculture Committee and is also a member of the Community Revitalization, Education, and Transportation committees. He criticized the 2023 Ohio reproductive rights initiative (Issue 1), stating, “I think the passage of Issue 1 ... was the worst mistake Ohio ever made,” and acknowledged the tension between constituent will and his views.

Personal life Newman and his wife Jeni have three adult children.

Electoral history