Sen. Johnson is a maverick with a mission

State Sen. David Johnson will return to the Iowa Legislature in January, not as the pivotal, powerful wild card that some anticipated, but nevertheless as a public servant determined to play his own hand.  He’s the first independent to serve in the Iowa Legislature in generations. It might take a change in Senate rules to allow Johnson to serve on a committee, and that won’t happen without the majority party’s approval.“I don’t know exactly what my situation will be, but my constituents are owed a place on committees of some sort,” Johnson said.Even with the uncertainty of his status in the legislative process, Johnson sees a role for himself. “There’s an opportunity for me to be a different type of check and balance, perhaps,” he said.Johnson said he believes he represents a part of the Republican Party that’s been “vanquished.”He talks about a hidden “moderate” Republican vote, although Johnson has not changed his conservative view on issues like abortion. He has been out of step with the GOP for several years, however, on issues ranging from education and the environment to health care.