It’s Wednesday, and Eric Johnson Is Still the Mayor
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My oh my, the rumor mill has been churning, but speculation over whether Mayor Eric Johnson was going to resign his post this week and run for higher office appears to have come to an end.
“Trying to find out whether I am resigning, but the ‘story’ is behind a paywall. Hate it when that happens. Anyway, here is the free version: I am NOT running for anything, and I will continue serving our great city as its mayor!” Johnson posted Tuesday evening on X.
Earlier in the day, reporting on the rumors saw current and former local officials who might have thrown their hat in the special election race triggered by Johnson’s hypothetical resignation give their two cents on the prospect. The mayor did not respond to requests for comment, instead posting on social media some hours later.
Full disclosure, I heard the rumor about two months ago. Apparently, Johnson was going to resign and run for Texas attorney general. Since then, redistricting in Texas has opened congressional possibilities.
It’s also worth noting that someone is sitting on a registered ericjohnsonfortexas.com domain. Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see, I guess.
Johnson’s political future has been a topic of speculation since he left the Democratic Party and officially became a Republican, potentially opening the door to statewide office once his second and final mayoral term ends in 2027.
The party switch got him some national attention, with Dallas becoming the biggest city in the United States with a Republican mayor. He went on to found the Republican Mayors Association, courting more profile as he touted crime reduction and lowering property taxes as the touchstones of his administration.
Still, Johnson has previously denied plans to run for higher office, telling the press that he intends to serve out his last term. However, if he is going to do it, there is a deadline coming up. He has until Dec. 8 to declare his intention to run in the Republican primary in March.
If the mayor were to resign, he would likely be immediately succeeded by Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno (District 2). There would then be a special election held within 120 days.
Yesterday’s reporting appears to have sussed out some mayoral aspirants. Names floating out there purportedly include Council Members Chad West (District 1), Adam Bazaldua (District 7), and Gay Donnell Willis (District 113), former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, developer Peter Brodsky, and Dallas workforce development czar Lynn McBee.
