Biography
State Representative John Patrick Carney (D-Clintonville) proudly serves the communities of Dublin, Clintonville, and northwest Columbus and is in his first term in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Rep. Carney is the eleventh of 12 children, and his family has helped shape his beliefs in the importance of education, health care and economic opportunity. His father worked for Republic Steel (later LTV Steel), and his mother raised their large family while serving St. Raphael’s parish and aiding the elderly and infirmed in the community. Growing up, Rep. Carney saw the value of hard work and public service firsthand, and those lessons stuck with him throughout his life.
Rep. Carney earned both his bachelor’s and law degree from The Ohio State University. While on campus, Carney was twice elected student government president. His legacy includes an agreement with the Central Ohio Transit Authority to start a citywide busing program for all OSU students.
He now works as an attorney in the Columbus office of Porter, Wright, Morris and Arthur LLP, where he counsels clients on health care issues. Away from the office, Rep. Carney organized the Computer Outreach Program at the Columbus City Schools. This free, year-round basic computer literacy course is open to all community members and has been offered at over a dozen Columbus schools, including three in the 22nd House District (Ridgeview, Medina and Clinton Middle Schools). More than 3,000 people – ages 20 to 87 – have graduated from the classes.
In his first term, Rep. Carney intends to pursue, in a bipartisan fashion, common-sense policies that address issues that affect every Ohioan. He will work to better leverage resources already at Ohio’s disposal, in order to expand workforce development and stimulate businesses. He will also pursue policies that lower health care costs and improve health by focusing on preventive care.
He serves as Vice Chair of the Health Committee. He sits on the Finance, Insurance, and Transportation committees.
Rep. Carney is married to Jennifer Nelson Carney, an attorney at Bricker & Eckler LLP. They have a two-year-old daughter, Clara.
Responsibilities
A State Representative is an elected official whose job is to serve as a direct link between those Ohioans he or she was elected to represent and state government. In order to best fulfill this role, a representative responds to constituent concerns and works to provide solutions through legislative action. In order to best serve their constituents, a state representative attends meetings of their local civic, social and business groups in addition to responding to mail, email and telephone correspondence from constituents in their district.
