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Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson slams Democrats and endorses Trump at Republican National Convention

Mayor Eric L. Johnson at city council meeting Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, at Dallas City Hall.
Yfat Yossifor
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四虎影院
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson used his speech at the Republican National Convention to endorse Donald Trump for president 鈥 and slam progressive politicians for what he views as a failure to protect cities.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said it was time to 鈥渞etire Joe Biden鈥 鈥 and elect Donald Trump as the next president of the United States 鈥 during a speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Johnson also used the Tuesday evening address to slam progressive leadership nationwide and said the 鈥渉eart鈥 of the Democratic party 鈥渋s with the criminals, not with their victims.鈥

Johnson said progressive activists in Dallas came to his house four years ago 鈥渨ith the stated goal of intimidating鈥 his family.

鈥淭hey wanted me to defund the police,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淚 said no.鈥

Johnson, a lifelong Democrat who switched to the GOP months after being reelected as mayor in 2023, said the incident was part of the reason he switched parties.

鈥淚鈥檇 been a Democrat my entire life, albeit a conservative one, but when those activists tried to scare my kids, my fellow Democrats were silent,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淚t was Republicans that offered their support both privately, and publicly.鈥

Johnson faced both harsh criticism and praise last year after switching parties. The Dallas County Democratic Party called on Johnson to resign, saying he 鈥渒nowingly portrayed himself as a lifelong Democratic voter and representative.鈥

鈥淣ow, less than four months after being re-elected to his final term in office, he has declared that he will govern the city as a Republican," the party鈥檚 statement to 四虎影院 last year said.

The statement went on to call Johnson's announcement a "selfish and cynical strategy" to advance his political career.

Texas' top GOP leaders praised Johnson's switch 鈥 and welcomed him to the party with open arms.

Shortly, Johnson also formed the Republican Mayors Association to build a 鈥渘etwork of like-minded mayors鈥 and 鈥渓ead our cities to a brighter future.鈥

Dallas elected officials have said in the past Johnson鈥檚 political moves don鈥檛 make sense. When Johnson made the announcement to switch parties, District 9 Council Member Paula Blackmon told 四虎影院 that party affiliation doesn鈥檛 play a role in how she represents her constituents.

"I ran for municipal office because partisan politics should not play a motivating role in decisions affecting our residents. My work at Dallas City Hall most directly impacts the lives of everyday residents, and I show up every day to do the job they elected me to do,鈥 Blackmon said.

During his speech, Johnson said he grew up in high crime areas and claimed his community wanted more high-quality policing. He says that never happened and blamed Democratic leadership.

鈥淥n matter of public safety, the Democrats were never actually there for me, for Dallas families or for the American People,鈥 Johnson said.

Tuesday鈥檚 four-minute speech echoed current GOP talking points. Johnson said that Democrats don鈥檛 care about 鈥渟topping the killers and thieves that terrorize Black and Brown communities,鈥 securing the border 鈥 or 鈥渄angerous homeless encampments.鈥

Johnson touted Dallas as the country鈥檚 鈥渟afest large city鈥 and said other Republicans also lead what he believes to be safe cities. He said 鈥渢hat鈥檚 because Republicans wont be silent about public safety.鈥

鈥淟ets make America safe again by retiring Joe Biden and electing Donald J. Trump,鈥 Johnson said.

Got a tip? Email Nathan Collins at ncollins@kera.org. You can follow Nathan on Twitter .

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Nathan Collins is the Dallas Accountability Reporter for 四虎影院. Collins joined the station after receiving his master鈥檚 degree in Investigative Journalism from Arizona State University. Prior to becoming a journalist, he was a professional musician.