Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is joining the Republican Party

DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is going Republican, he announced in one Wall Street Journal article appearing on an Op-Ed page Friday morning. Johnson is in his second and final term as mayor, after receiving more than 98% of the vote in his re-election campaign last year.

Before becoming mayor in 2019, Johnson served five terms in the Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat, representing a district that includes South Dallas and parts of Oak Cliff and Pleasant Grove.

In the opinion, Johnson argues that cities benefit from law and order and fiscal conservatism, which he says are overlooked by Democratic mayors in other major cities.

“Unfortunately, many of our cities are in disarray. Mayors and other local elected officials have failed to make public safety a priority or exercise fiscal restraint. Most of these local leaders are proud Democrats who see cities as into laboratories of liberalism rather than as havens. for opportunity and free enterprise,” Johnson wrote.

He also wrote that he believes Democratic policies “exacerbate homelessness, harbor criminals, and make it harder for ordinary people to make a living,” while accusing Democrats of “virtue signaling.”

Johnson wrote that despite the change in his party record, he will not change his approach to the nonpartisan post of mayor.

“In the years ahead, I will continue to pursue my threefold goal for Dallas: to become the safest major city in America with the best park system in Texas and the lowest taxes in our North Texas region in rapid growth,” he wrote. .

The Texas GOP was quick to praise Johnson’s decision on social media Friday morning.

They shared: “We are all welcome @Johnson4Dallas to the Republican Party! His tenure as mayor has been marked by fighting hard to lower property taxes and fully fund Dallas PD.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.