A. A. Johns

In 1912, he was chosen as one of five commissioners by newly elected Governor Hunt to oversee Arizona's exhibit at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.^[19] Johns had also served as one of Arizona's commissioners during the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904.^[20] In 1914 he was one of ten Democrats running for the four seats from Yavapai County to the Arizona House of Representatives. He finished second in the primary.^[21] All four Democrats won in November's general election.^[22] In 1916, Johns ran for re-election to the House, facing off against six other Democrats in the primary.^[23] He was one of the winners of the primary, and then went on to win in November's general election, returning to the House.^[24][25] Shortly after the election, he was considered one of the favorites to become Speaker of the House, along with T. A. Hughes and Loren F. Vaughn.^[26][27] The final showdown came between Johns and Vaughn, with Johns winning by a 16–15 margin.^[28][29] In 1917, Johns was instrumental in passing a bill apportioning funds so that the state could purchase the historic governor's mansion in Prescott.^[30][31]

In 1918, Johns ran for the Arizona State Senate, instead of the House, winning the Democrat's primary.^[32][33] He was the top vote-getter among state senatorial candidates in the November general election, outdistancing his fellow Democrat, C. P. Hicks by almost 500 votes, 2807–2315.^[34][35] After the election, it became apparent that Johns had the inside track to become the President of the Senate. D. H. Claridge, president of the prior Senate, withdrew from consideration, and Mulford Winsor also took his name out of the race.^[36][37] When the Senate convened in January 1919, Johns was selected President, without opposition.^[38] In late 1918, Johns and his partner, Jack Trenberth, attempted to sell their company, the Aubrey Investment Company, and all its assets to the state. Outgoing Governor Hunt approved the deal, but when the new governor, Thomas Campbell, unwound the deal after a negative report from the state engineer, as well as public outcry over Johns' benefitting at the cost of the taxpayers.^[39][40] In September 1920, Trenberth and Johns sued the state for breach of contract.^[41] In November the case was adjudicated in favor of Johns and Trenberth.^[42] In 1919 and early 1920 there was speculation that Johns would run either for the governorship or the U. S. Senate seat from Arizona in 1920.^[43][44][45] Johns eventually decided to run for re-election to the Arizona State Senate, along with Hicks. However, both were defeated in the general election in November, by Republicans David Morgan and Charles E. Burton.^[46]

In 1921, Johns and several partners formed The Commercial Acceptance Corporation in Tucson. The enterprise was engaged in several different areas, including automobile and truck sales, commercial paper, and real estate.^[47][48] He was also selected as a director to the Arizona Industrial Congress, in charge of their livestock division.^[49][50] In 1924, Johns was chosen as the chairman of the Arizona Democratic Central Committee.^[51] In 1925 he was named to the University of Arizona's board of regents by Governor Hunt.^[52] He served through the end of 1926.^[5] In 1929 a national wool organization was formed to become a centralized sales organization for the wool growers of the U. S. Johns was elected to the first board of directors.^[53]

In May 1932, Johns was appointed to the Arizona State Highway Commission by Governor Hunt, to serve through January 31, 1935, to fill the remainder of the term of S. R. Trengove, who had died.^[54] Shortly after his appointment, in a hotly contested move, Johns assumed chairmanship of the organization from C. E. Addams.^[55] It was thought that Hunt had appointed Johns to ensure that the bulk of the state highway funds would be utilized on the road between Globe and Showlow. The controversial appointment led to Hunt being defeated in the Democrat's primary later in 1932.^[56] In January 1933 a political showdown occurred when Governor Moeur, who had defeated Hunt in the primary, refused to recognize Johns' appointment, and appointed his own member of the commission, Ray Vyne. There was split regarding whether or not Hunt's appointment carried over into a new administration, or only until a new legislature went into session. The latter opinion was endorsed by state attorney general Arthur T. LaPrade, and when the legislature was seated in January 1933, they approved Moeur's appointment.^[57][58][59] In July 1935 Johns was arrested for drunk driving, while traveling on the Phoenix-Wickenburg highway.^[60] He was convicted and served a 30-day sentence in jail.^[61][62]

In 1936 Johns decided to once again run for the state legislature, this time for the House of Representatives.^[63] He defeated Tom Smith in the primary, and went on to win the general election in November.^[64][65] During the session of the legislature, Johns developed rheumatic fever, and was seriously ill for several months.^[66] The illness led him to refuse to run for a fifteenth consecutive term as president of the Arizona Wool Growers Association, when the group met in July. At the meeting, the group named him honorary president for life.^[67] He ran for renomination for the House seat in 1938, but was defeated in the primary by Robert E. Perkins.^[68] He ran again in 1940 and 1942 for the House seat, losing both times in the primary to Perkins.^[69][70] In 1943, Johns was one of the eight pall-bearers for Sharlot M. Hall.^[71]

Johns died on May 24, 1944, in Prescott.^[2]