‘American Cities Need Republicans’: Democratic Mayor of Dallas Switches Parties

The Democratic mayor of Dallas, Eric Johnson, announced Friday that he is crossing the political aisle and joining the Republican Party, citing the failure of progressive policies in combating crime, homelessness, and drugs.

“When my career in elected office ends in 2027 on the inauguration of my successor as mayor, I will leave office as a Republican. I realize this will come as a surprise to many,” Johnson wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. “The future of America’s great urban centers depends on the willingness of the nation’s mayors to champion law and order and practice fiscal conservatism. Our cities desperately need the genuine commitment to these principles (as opposed to the inconsistent, poll-driven commitment of many Democrats) that has long been a defining characteristic of the GOP.”

“In other words, American cities need Republicans — and Republicans need American cities.”

Johnson has become increasingly vocal about declining public safety, particularly across urban areas, in recent months. In February, the Democratic mayor shared an article arguing that the mass retirement within the Austin, Texas, police force was driven by the “Defund the Police” movement.

In December 2021, as other American cities were wracked by violence and reeling from the global pandemic, Dallas managed a nearly 10 percent reduction in violent crime, which Johnson claimed resulted from “a budget that reflects public safety being your city’s top priority,” that was reinforced by “community buy-in.”

“We’ve done things that we need to do in the moment that we take public safety seriously here,” he told Fox News Digital at the time. “And I think that, you know, sort of flies in the face with some cities that have done in response to some of the defund the police movement and whatnot.”

Texas governor Greg Abbott applauded the move on X, the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Texas is getting more Red every day. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson switches to Republican Party. He’s pro law enforcement & won’t tolerate leftist agendas. Two of the 10 largest cities in America now have Republican Mayors & they are both in Texas.”

The news was also greeted by beleaguered Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, who recently survived an impeachment vote.

In May, Johnson received an overwhelming nod of approval during his final four-year term receiving 98.7 percent of support at the polls. Senator John Cornyn (R., Texas) administered Johnson’s second-term oath of office.