Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson made news when he announced he was switching political parties, and leaving his Democratic roots to join the Republicans.
Mayor Johnson made headlines again when he appeared at the Republican National Convention just months after switching political parties. Johnson claims his decision to switch parties was spurned by an incident last September when activists showed up at his house demanding that he defund the police.
Johnson said, to the contrary, he felt Dallas residents needed more policing not less.
“As a mayor, I knew we needed to increase our support for the police department and prioritize violent crime reduction,” said Johnson.
For 13 years, Johnson has held an elected office in Texas as a Democrat. His move to align with the opposing party positions Dallas as the largest U.S. city led by a Republican, underlining the significance of Johnson’s decision.
“Today, I’m the proud Republican Mayor of Dallas Texas,” said Johnson. “The largest city in the United States led by a Republican.”
According to Johnson, Democrats have demonstrated with their words, their actions, their silence, and inactions that they don’t care about stopping the killers or thieves who terrorize black and brown communities
‘Woke’ Dems are ‘with the criminals’, said Johnson.
For some residents, Johnson’s stand on issues such as defunding the police was a welcomed change from the political status quo.
“I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and was happy to see Mayor Johnson speak out about the bullying tactics used by those who look to intimidate our elected officials. His speech was a quick orientation on sticking to your morals and personal values, which was refreshing,” said Lucas A. Hamrick, Chief Executive at ORE-System.
“Still, it is inspiring to see one of our elected officials putting the needs of their constituents ahead of partisan politics. I am hopeful that the people can take account of all elected officials, Republican or Democrat, and hold their elected officials accountable for their policies and actions. When we have elected leaders who are interested in leading by example, it sets the standard for everyone else to follow.”
Texas Democrats and council members who served with the mayor were quick to react following his RNC speech.
“His actions are just self-serving, that’s what we’ve come to know,” Kardal Coleman, Chair of the Dallas County Democratic Party said in an interview.
Coleman also told WFAA he believes Johnson would never have been elected mayor had he run as a Republican. “A lot of voters felt they were betrayed.”
Johnson made clear in a recent op-ed that his vision for Dallas aligns with the GOP, noting his support for law enforcement, desire to foster a more -business-friendly environment, and lower property taxes.
Throughout his mayoral tenure, Johnson has backed anti-crime initiatives and developed a united front with Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia. He won reelection without opposition in May after sewing up the city’s business donor class and the Dallas Police Association.
Mayor Johnson remains busy, holding the 28th “Mayor’s Back to School Fair” Friday at Fair Park this month. The fair served approximately 10,000 kids this year. Dallas ISD families lined up a couple of hours early to pick up school supplies and receive other services including medical and dental check-ups.
