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.

    • Lemonparty@lemm.ee
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      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
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      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?

        • El Barto@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Bhaha, nah brah. Lemmy is just a toy for me. I usually like people who argue actual points, even if wrong instead of saying “hurr durr u stoopid”, but that’s fine, it’s a free platform.