Todd Johnson
Senior pastor of First Immanuel Baptist Church in North Philadelphia (2438 Ridge Avenue). Republican Ward Leader of Philadelphia's 17th Ward and a Block Captain with the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee. Frankford High and Geneva College graduate. Self-described 'conservative constitutionalist evangelical.' This is his second run for the SD-4 seat; he was the 2022 GOP nominee and lost the general to Haywood with ~16%.
Chance of winning4%
Uphill general in a D+30 district. Johnson lost 2022 by 68 points; no structural shift has made the district more competitive.
Background
Senior pastor of First Immanuel Baptist Church in North Philadelphia (2438 Ridge Avenue). Republican Ward Leader of Philadelphia's 17th Ward and a Block Captain with the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee. Frankford High and Geneva College graduate. Self-described 'conservative constitutionalist evangelical.' This is his second run for the SD-4 seat; he was the 2022 GOP nominee and lost the general to Haywood with ~16%.
Stated positions · 5
- Socially conservative, faith-rooted platform
- Public-safety focused
- Aligned with Montgomery County GOP and Philly GOP ward organizations
- Hosted Trump campaign 2020 Black voter outreach at his church
- Full 2026 issues platform unverified
Pros & cons, honest read
Reasons to support
- Black Republican pastor with authentic North Philly base
- Already has Montgomery County GOP endorsement and local party infrastructure
- Strong community-organization credentials
Reasons to be skeptical
- Lost 2022 general to Haywood by ~68 points
- No known campaign website or recent press of substance
- Trump-aligned posture hard sell in Cheltenham/Abington
Three perspectives
Same claim, three reads. Decide which one you find most persuasive.
A Trump-aligned evangelical whose church hosted 2020 Trump Black outreach events - symbolic more than competitive in a D+30 district.
Policy specifics are scarce for 2026; genuine community-organizing record but running a low-resource rematch.
A down-the-line socially conservative, faith-first Republican with real roots in North Philly.
Sources
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