At just 19 years of age, Eric Johnson was one of the youngest people in the nation running for school board. Now sixteen years later, he's the openly gay Chief of Staff in the office of Florida Congressman Robert Wexler. His ambition has paid off despite the obstacles along the way including switching from Republican to Democrat and coming out of the closet. As Wexler's right hand man, Johnson runs the show… literally.

Tonight the Sundance Channel premieres The Hill, a new six episode reality show, which follows members of the Congressman's office over the course of a few months as they battle Republicans, hurricanes, and each other.

AfterElton.com recently had the chance to speak with Johnson about appearing on a reality show as a gay man successful in politics, marriage, and parenthood.

AfterElton.com: Was it really harder for you to come out as a Democrat than as a gay man?
Eric Johnson: I had invested so much time and energy being active in the Republican party. I had run for office. I had gone to the Republican convention. I went to George Bush's inauguration. A lot of me thought that making that switch was going to be a career killer for a young, ambitious person who wanted to be in politics. But I had to do it.

If I was switching from Democrat to a Republican, then I clearly would not have come out professionally because my career would have been stilted by that.

AE: When did you come out of the closet?
EJ: You know that was much more of a process than a day. I knew that I was bisexual as a kid. I had a lot of girlfriends, but also I never denied my other interests or kept myself from acting on it either. As far as when I really came out to the world, meaning my boss, my co-workers, and my parents for the final time, they had suspicions at another point in my life, I was probably 25.

AE: How old are you now?
EJ: I'm 35. No, I was older than 25 when I came out. The reason I know is because I really only came out to everybody once I started my relationship with James [his partner]. I knew it was going to be a serious relationship and that this is someone I wanted to bring to work parties or home to the family for the holidays. So, James and I have known each other 7 or 8 years. So I must have been 27 or 28.

AE: What do you think of gay Republicans?
EJ: I know so many who are really good and decent people, but the fact is I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm not almost bitter towards them. This is a group of people that put their tax brackets above their civil rights. I don't know how anyone could rationalize that.

AE: How often is your sexuality brought up as an issue on The Hill?
EJ: I don't think it's really ever an issue. To Democrats [being gay] isn't a shocking thing. They are pretty embracing of gay people. The only time I ever felt anything was, and I think you even see it at the end of episode one, [is] to be scapegoated by the Republicans and to be blamed in part for the defeat in 2004. It felt really horrible. Gay marriage is one of the things pointed to as to why we lost. That was difficult for me. It almost brought up these feelings of internalized shame and guilt that me and my people had maybe cost this election.

AE: Do you think electronic voting was partly to blame in the loss of the last two elections?
EJ: There wasn't too much electronic voting in 2000. But that election was absolutely stolen. It was stolen in Palm Beach County by a large degree. Stopping the recounts was another way. That was more pre-meditated. 2004 wasn't stolen. [But] I have very little confidence in electronic voting machines. Elections can be stolen through them. Error is introduced through them. The one thing I've been very proud of my boss for is how hard he's been fighting against electronic machines.

AE: What are your boss's views on gay marriage and gay rights?
EJ: He's nice and liberal on those issues. Robert is interesting because he's a modern Orthodox Jewish man. He keeps kosher at home and keeps Shabbats on the weekends. His tradition in his own private life is conservative. But he always had progressive views when it came to gay rights. I don't think there is any question that he got much more into the issue when I came out to him, which was years after I'd been working for him. I had an impact on him. He's more outspoken and aggressive on that issue because of it. He's a co-sponsor of every bill that's involved.

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