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Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, a longtime Democrat, is now a Republican, and a Republican mayor has turned Dallas into the largest city in the country.
“Today, I am changing my political affiliation,” Johnson said in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday. “Next spring, I plan to vote in the Republican primary. When my successor becomes mayor in 2027 and my career in elected office ends, I will continue to hold office as a Republican.” I’m going to leave.”
Johnson served nine years in the Texas Legislature as a Democrat before being elected mayor of Dallas in 2019. Although the mayor's position is technically bipartisan, Johnson will join Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker as one of two Republican mayors leading a major Texas city.
Johnson did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Johnson's turnaround came as little shock to political observers in Dallas, who said he had long indicated he was leaning toward the Republican Party and distancing himself from Democrats.
“This is one of the worst-kept secrets in politics,” said Vinny Minchillo, a Republican consultant in the Dallas area. “This has been going on for a long time.”
State Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas, took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to poke fun at Johnson's announcement.
“Changing parties? I didn't know he was a Democrat,” Bryant wrote.
In his op-ed, Johnson touted how his vision for Dallas aligns with that of the Republican Party, pointing to his support for law enforcement, lower property taxes and promoting a business-friendly environment.
During his time as mayor, Johnson has been a vocal supporter of crime-fighting efforts and has forged a strong bond with Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia. He won reelection unopposed in May after uniting the city's often Republican corporate donor base with the city's police union, the Dallas Police Association.
“Mayors and other local elected officials have failed to prioritize public safety or exercise fiscal restraint,” Johnson wrote in an op-ed. “Most of these local leaders are proud Democrats who see cities as testing grounds for liberalism rather than havens for opportunity and free enterprise.”
After his re-election this year, Mr. Johnson invited Texas' two Republican senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, to attend his inauguration, which some observers believe is a sign of a nonpartisan space. They complained that it had unfairly injected partisanship.
Earlier this week, Johnson, along with four other Dallas City Council members, voted against the city's $4.8 billion budget, believing it didn't lower the city's property taxes enough. Reducing property taxes is a top priority for the state's top Republicans.
“Too often, local tax dollars are spent on policies that worsen homelessness, coddle criminals, and make it harder for ordinary people to make a living,” Johnson wrote in an op-ed. “And too many local Democrats insist on virtue signaling, proposing half-baked government programs that aim to solve every social problem, and finding new ways to criticize Republicans at the state and federal level. Enough is enough. This makes for good headlines, but it doesn't make for a safer, stronger, more vibrant city.”
Johnson's party change instantly makes him one of the most prominent black Republicans in the country, a list that also includes South Carolina Sen. and presidential candidate Tim Scott and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. include. Although the Republican Party has gained support among black men in recent years, black voters still overwhelmingly vote Democratic.
But Dallas is solidly Democratic. Dallas County favored Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, with Biden winning the county by more than 30 points. Some local politicians said Mr Johnson's decision was out of step with the city's voters.
“I don't think that's a priority,” Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua said. “In fact, that's why I think it would have been nice for voters to have had the opportunity to find out their party affiliation before they went to the ballot box in May.”
Politicos interpreted Mr. Johnson's turnaround as a harbinger of a possible run for statewide office, where Democrats have been shut out for decades.
“You have to be a Democrat to win in Dallas,” said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. “You have to be a Republican to win in Texas.”
Minchillo, the Republican strategist, said Johnson's party switch is a further indictment of the state of the Texas Democratic Party.
“This is certainly a wise move for his career,” Minchillo said. “If he wants to stay in Texas politics, he should want to add an 'R' to his name.”
Johnson spoke for about an hour Friday morning at a Texas Tribune panel event in Austin, but did not mention changing parties. Noting the bipartisan nature of his office, Johnson said he would like to see a more conservative approach to how Dallas spends its funds, saying it is currently inefficient and available to only a few people. He argued that the city could make significant cuts to welfare programs that it believes are not being implemented. Polls show that most Dalasi residents want a tax cut.
“I don't even know what these services are that some people say are so essential for the urban poor,” he said. “I don't know what they use.”
Texas Republicans quickly accepted Johnson as one of their own.
“Texas is getting redder by the day,'' Governor Greg Abbott says. I wrote to X. “He is pro-law enforcement and does not tolerate left-wing policies.”
“Friends and former colleagues, welcome to the Republican Party!” Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) said of X. [Johnson] That's absolutely correct. Conservative policies are the key to safe, prosperous, and successful cities. His leadership is a shining example of that. Great news. “
Meanwhile, Texas Democratic Party leaders reacted to the news with pure vitriol.
“In a city that deserves committed leadership, Mayor Johnson is an ineffectual, truant mayor who is not only out of step with Democratic values,” Texas Democrats Gilberto Hinojosa and Shay Willick Cathy wrote in a statement. “and cannot be effective messengers of conservative local policy.'' The Chair and Vice-Chair said in a joint statement: “This weak excuse for a Democratic representative would sit well with Republicans, and we are grateful he cannot further tarnish the brand and values of the Texas Democratic Party.”
Democrats saw Johnson's announcement as a betrayal, perhaps not unexpectedly.
“It's truly unfortunate that Mayor Johnson is not only switching parties, but turning his back on the voters who have brought him to this point in his political career,” Dallas County Democratic Party Chairman Cardal Coleman said in a statement. “This comes as no surprise to us. This is the worst-kept secret in Texas politics, but he is choosing his personal ambitions over the interests of Texas as a whole.”
In an interview with Tribune co-founder Evan Smith on Friday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said, “Eric feels as if he has to get off a thriving ship to get on a sinking ship.'' I'm disappointed.''
“But people sometimes make decisions for different reasons. So I respect his personal decision,” he said. “But I think if you look at San Antonio, Texas, Austin, Houston, you'll see that mayors and Democratic mayors across this country are doing an extraordinary job.”
Emily Foxhall contributed to this article.
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