Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson announced Friday that he is switching parties and will serve as a Republican-affiliated mayor of the blue-leaning city.

While the Dallas mayoral office is nonpartisan, Johnson previously served as a Democrat in the Texas legislature. He slammed his former party in an op-ed for Wall Street Journal published Friday, blaming Democratic policies for “exacerbated crime and homelessness.”

“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,” Johnson wrote. “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.”

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

Johnson’s announcement makes him the only Republican among the mayors of the 10 most populous cities in the US.

  • 0xb@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    97
    ·
    1 year ago
    1. How is this allowed?

    2. Since it’s allowed, why aren’t Dems taking advantage of the old switcheroo and packing every race with temporary conservatives only for switching back once elected? That would be the funniest thing.

    I mean if democracy is a joke may as well get some good out of playing it.

      • Lemonparty@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        11
        ·
        1 year ago

        I mean if the other team plays dirty and you do the same, that’s just called playing even at that point.

      • El Barto@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        This one Dem from the article just did exactly that, though…

        Edit: haha, nice downvotes. So you’re saying that the switching dude was a republican in disguise all the time?

    • unalivejoy@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      ·
      1 year ago

      I think 2 is the only way to get Republican law makers to do anything about it.

    • Ejh3k@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      I’ve thought about primarying my rep. She’s one of the far left chuckle fucks, and I stand a decent chance of beating her due to the fact that I am 1. Male. 2. A veteran. 3. Tall.

      Where as she is a nut job, but blond.