Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson spent over a decade in workplace as a Democrat earlier than making a major political shift.
Simply over a yr in the past, he introduced his choice to hitch the Republican Celebration.
Johnson wrote in a Fox Information op-ed that his change ought to have been a wake-up name for Democrats forward of the 2024 election.
“It seems I used to be form of a canary within the coal mine, proper? I didn’t suppose I used to be going to be some anomaly that everybody wanted to fret about,” Johnson instructed “Fox & Buddies” co-host Lawrence Jones, Wednesday.
“I assumed I used to be going to be a harbinger of issues to come back. And it seems, that was precisely proper.”
Dallas is a predominantly blue space, voting for President Joe Biden in 2020 by over half. With Johnson’s change, Dallas turned the most important U.S. metropolis led by a Republican mayor.
He joined Fort Value Mayor Mattie Parker as considered one of solely two Republican mayors main a significant Texas metropolis. Johnson attributes this to a broader realignment in cultural dynamics throughout the nation, a change he credit to President-elect Trump.
“Donald Trump has given the Republican Celebration a present,” Johnson defined. “He has brought about components of the Democratic coalition, that folks thought would by no means, ever think about voting Republican, to do precisely that.”
One of many key elements behind Trump’s resounding victory in 2024 was his surge in help from minority teams, significantly Hispanic voters. In Texas, Republicans skilled a 28% enhance in Latino help in comparison with the 2020 election.
Trump additionally made inroads with Black voters and younger voters, considerably narrowing conventional Democratic benefits.
“I feel now is a chance for the Republican Celebration to double down on his message,” stated Johnson, describing Trump’s focus as one aimed toward revitalizing U.S. cities.
“An agenda for city America. That’s what these teams are hoping that’s going to occur now,” Johnson defined.
“They consider that Donald Trump, our president-elect, can truly ship on the promise of constructing our cities nice once more. And he can, and I feel he’ll.”
In line with Fox Information’ voter evaluation of the 2024 election, Republican voters had been most pushed by issues over the economic system, immigration, and crime — points Johnson argues have been uncared for beneath Democratic management.
“All of the issues that folks have been asking for generations from our cities which have beneath Democratic management … did not ship on these issues.”
A vocal advocate for regulation enforcement funding, decrease taxes, and a pro-business setting, Johnson has made his coverage priorities clear and says he’d like to assist the president-elect enact his agenda over the following 4 years.
“The Republican Celebration shouldn’t hand over on our cities. We have to truly spend money on them and concentrate on them. And I feel that’s what he’s going to do and I wish to assist him do this.”
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