Black Dallas Mayor Decamps to Republicans After Being Voted As Democrat this May

After declaring last week he’d vote in the March primary as a Republican, there are growing calls for Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson to resign.

Despite the office of the mayor being a nonpartisan office, Dallas County Democrats said Tuesday that Johnson, “Knowingly portrayed himself as a lifelong Democratic voter and representative throughout his re-election campaign for mayor” and that he should step down.

Johnson hasn’t issued a public statement about his party affiliation since publishing an editorial in the Wall Street Journal last week announcing his decision. He said at the time he had no intention of changing his approach to his job as mayor and that he would keep the promises he made to Dallas voters. NBC 5 has reached out to the mayor’s office for comment, but so far we have not received a response.

Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn King Arnold said citizens should not be alarmed and that Johnson’s party affiliation should not affect local government.

“We have a responsibility, and we are going to continue to serve. I know that’s my commitment,” Arnold told NBC 5.

Last week, Dallas City Councilwoman Paul Blackmon issued a similar statement saying party affiliation played no role in how she served her district and that she “ran for municipal office with the strong belief that partisan politics should not influence decisions affecting our residents.”

Dallas Morning News political writer Gromer Jeffers told NBC 5 last week that Johnson has always been a fiscal conservative, fought against cutting funds to police and battled with progressives on the city council.

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