Faces of the West County: Kerr Johnson, Sr.

A black conservative is a rare bird in these parts

When our son got to Analy about 16 years ago, he told us that he wanted to play football. He’s a bit of a bashful guy, and we thought it would be a good way for him to connect with other kids. My fear wasn’t that he might get injured (which he did, but never mind that) but that based on my own understanding of high school football players, he’d have to hang out with and would be influenced by a--holes. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Not only were the kids he met and bonded with on the football field some of the sweetest, most thoughtful, and decent kids you’ll ever come across, but so were their parents. We spent many a cold Friday night with the other parents, cheering on our boys from the stands, and discovering many different sides of Sebastopol. It didn’t hurt that in those years, the Tigers were a powerhouse team, and winning was common.

One family in particular, the Johnsons, was truly special. Kind and loving and supportive with all five of their children, it was clear that with Kerr and Sheila, we had met some especially decent people.

So now it’s late summer in 2026, and we’re gearing up for the mid-terms, with the political divide in our country being as sad and nasty as ever. I wanted to find a Trump-supporting Republican to better understand how that works, and to try in some small way to help bridge the divide. It wasn’t easy finding someone like that who was willing to speak openly. After a few polite rejections, I remembered that Kerr Sr. fit the description, and when I ran into him the other day, he immediately agreed to sit down and speak with me. Here he is.

We sat on the back porch of the Johnsons’ home off of Pleasant Hill, vineyards on all sides, and the evening chill setting in. Kerr had made us some herbal tea and cracked open a bag of popcorn. “I’ve never made tea for a guest before, but this seemed to be the time to do it.”

Where and when were you born?

I was born in 1976. I’m a Pisces. I love the water. It was Englewood, in Southern California, but we lived in Watts.

How did you land up here?

Here’s the short version. I went through a Big Brother program down there, and my Big Brother’s actual brother lived in Novato. We came up here to do a remodel in Novato, and I never went back. I was 15. I took a year off of school, and then went back and finished high school doing an independent study program.

Did you ever go to college?

I don’t know if it counts, but I went for a month when I was 40. Let’s just say it didn’t work out.

Four of my five kids have finished college!

So who’s in your family?

It’s my wife Sheila and five adult kids. Sheila graduated from Analy. And now, we’re on to the next generation. We’ve got a one-year-and-two-day-old grandson. They live on the property here with us, and we see the little guy every day.

Did you and Sheila want a family of five? That’s almost unheard of these days.

At least three and no more than six. I came from a family with six kids, so I wanted a big family too.

Your kids are all remarkable. Bright, respectful, warm. We could single out each of them for one thing or another, but one of them was a football standout and got a lot of attention.

Yeah. Kerr Johnson Jr. had a great few years at Analy, and then went on to the JC, and eventually to a Division 1 team at the University of Kansas.

Did he think he had a shot at going pro?

Oh yeah.

So what happened?

Three NFL teams showed interest in him, but he was just coming off an injury, and then COVID kicked in. That changed everything. It was just bad timing.

Did Kerr Jr. love playing?

Oh yeah. All our boys loved playing, and we were proud of all of them.

How old were you when you and Sheila got married?

I was 20, she was 18.

Wow. You beat the odds. Most teen marriages don’t last ten years, let alone thirty! How’d that happen?

I chose really well. Sheila is the foundation of this family. She got us through a lot. Of course, I played my part, but she is the glue that held us together.

Does religion or a church connection play a role in your family?

No. I’m not a church guy.

How come?

I’ve seen too many church leaders turn out to be bad. I think it’s best if it’s between me and my God.

You know, you’re a rarity here in Sonoma County for two reasons.

What? I’m so good looking?

(We both laugh for a while over that.) Yeah, there’s that. But I was thinking more along the lines that you’re both black and a Republican.

I say conservative, but I do mostly vote Republican.

So, has that been a challenge for you?

No. Not really.

So you don’t feel like a minority either racially or politically?

I’d have to say I don’t. I don’t see a lot of black people around here, but let me tell you a story.

I grew up in a neighborhood with Mexicans, blacks, whites, and Koreans. All of us had pretty similar struggles in life. Most of us only had moms. So I was about 12 years old, when about 15 of us were just sitting around hanging out. And I suddenly had this moment when I realized that we were all the same, with the same problems. I saw that day how little race mattered in our little world. I was blessed to grow up with them. Maybe that’s why I don’t even see race that much.

You know, I remember one of your kids telling me about being stopped by the police for driving while brown. Did that happen to you as well?

Can’t say that it has. I know which kid that was you’re talking about, and it happened to him more than a few times.

Have you stayed in touch with your parents?

With my mom. She’s still down in Southern California. Dad wasn’t in the picture.

Is your dad still alive?

I don’t know. He was a lifer in prison. Some of the time he’s done was spent in San Quentin. I know he had a hard life, but it’s no excuse for what he did.

I’m sorry to hear that about your dad.

Has being in an inter-racial marriage been an issue over the years?

Very little. Mostly looks every now and then. But I don’t really know what they’re looking at. We don’t even know what they’re really thinking.

Let’s get off of race and move over to politics. Can we talk about the president? Would you vote for him again?

Depends who he’s running against. He’s not running, and I don’t think he should or can run again.

Can you tell me what he stands for that’s important to you as well?

This term, I’d say that he stands for American strength. Ruling with a hard hand. I like that. You’ve got to be strong and willing to fight.

I hoped that when he got in a second time that the economy would boom again, like it did in his first term, but I’m not seeing that.

What about Iran?

I don’t know enough about it to say.

What about closing down DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts?

That’s complicated. Probably appropriate to shut it down in some areas, but not in others.

So where do you get your news from?

It used to be FOX, but I don’t trust FOX or the news in general anymore.

So where do you find any sort of truth?

I don’t know to be honest.

Do you read a paper?

No. I’m not much of a reader. The papers and news are just spreading their points of view.

I told you that I had been looking for a Trump-supporting Republican for a while and couldn’t find any willing to speak with me. When I told you that, you told me there were lots of “sleepers.” What do you mean by that?

Back when Trump was running, I wore my Trump gear openly. I had a bunch of people who would quietly approach me and say “I love your hat” or my buckle or whatever. There are many supporters who just don’t feel right about openly showing their political colors.

I was also able to have nice conversations with those who didn’t agree with me.

I’m glad you were able to have those conversations, but you gotta wonder why the Trump supporters feel like they can’t be open about it.

Kerr, you’re a small business owner.

Yes. Kerrent Electric. We do big and small electric projects. Commercial and residential.

Are you seeing any sort of uptick in work or income coming in?

No. It’s just been steady. For my playing field, there’s no boom.

How nice being in a line of work that AI can’t really touch.

Hard to imagine. Let’s hope not.

Here’s a few non-political questions. I know you’re into country music. Who are your three top performers?

Morgan Wallen, Loretta Lynn, and George Straight.

Well, I’ve heard of one of them.

Did you go on vacation this summer?

I’m not sure. What do you call a vacation? We’ve gone camping.

And we went to a musical in the city. Beauty and the Beast.

Really! And?

I loved it! I liked the movie, and now I’ve loved the play.

Have you been out of the country much?

Mexico. That’s it.

Where would you want to go?

Italy and Ireland. They look romantic and peaceful. Italy got on my map because of the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun.” Italy looked so beautiful in that film, or wherever they filmed it.

We do Taco Tuesday at our house, and I heard you guys do Wine Wednesday. Hadn’t heard of that. We used to see you and Sheila at the Blue Ridge Bar in the Barlow. Now that it’s gone, where to now?

Now, if we’re going out, it might be the Fern Bar or maybe Pax, a wine bar that’s also in the Barlow.

Kerr, I want to thank you for being open to having this conversation. It’s not easy for people to go on record like this.

Can I make a statement?

Of course.

I just want to say how blessed I’ve been to have led such a wonderful life, and in large part it’s because of the people in my life. I’m grateful.

Well, can I make a statement?

Ok.

You are a remarkable and devoted father, and have worked amazingly hard to create the wonderful life and family that you have. You’ve got to take at least some personal credit for how well things have worked out for you.

Yeah. I suppose so.

Thanks for the tea and popcorn. You’re a pretty good host too.

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