Washington
CNN
—
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson announced Friday that he is switching parties and becoming the Republican mayor of the blue-leaning city.
The Dallas Mayor's Office is nonpartisan, but Johnson previously served as a Democrat in the Texas state legislature. He blasted his former party in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Friday, blaming Democratic policies for “exacerbating crime and homelessness.”
“The future of America’s metropolitan centers depends on the willingness of mayors across the country to champion law and order and practice fiscal conservatism,” Johnson wrote. “Our cities desperately need a real commitment to these principles that have long been the hallmark of the Republican Party (as opposed to the inconsistent, poll-driven commitments of many Democrats). .”
He added: “In other words, American cities need Republicans, and Republicans need American cities.”
Mr. Johnson's announcement makes him the only Republican mayor of the 10 most populous cities in the United States.
Johnson was first elected in 2019 and was re-elected to a four-year term in May with more than 98% of the vote. In the 2020 election, President Joe Biden won Dallas County by more than 30 points.
The Texas Democratic Party issued a scathing statement Friday, accusing Johnson of being disloyal to Dallas voters.
“[T]”Dallas voters have a right to know where he stands before he runs for re-election as mayor,” the party's chair and vice chair said. “He was not honest with his voters, and he knew that if he flipped before the election, he would lose to the Democrats.”
“This weak excuse for Democratic representation would sit well with the Republican Party, and we are grateful he cannot further tarnish the brand and values of the Texas Democratic Party,” they added.
Meanwhile, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott welcomed Johnson's new party affiliation.
“Texas is getting redder by the day,” Abbott said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “He is pro-law enforcement and does not tolerate left-wing policies.”
Correction: This article has been updated to correctly reflect Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson's re-election percentage.
