RNC Honors Ex-Democrat Dallas Mayor As Republican Trailblazer

Mayor of Dallas Eric Johnson speaks through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Metropolis Announcement on the AT&T Discovery District on June 16, 2022, in Dallas, Texas. | Supply: Omar Vega / Getty

The nationwide group championing all issues GOP is celebrating Black Historical past Month partly by crowning a career-long Democrat who solely just lately switched political affiliations as a “trailblazer” throughout the Republican Get together.

Eric Johnson wins the Republican Nationwide Committee’s ‘Trailblazer Award’

Particularly, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson — who gained reelection in Could as a Democrat — is about to have the Republican Nationwide Committee’s (RNC) “Trailblazer Award” bestowed upon him at the12th annual Black Republican Trailblazers ceremony Tuesday in Washington.

The RNC stated in a press launch saying the ceremony that the award is reserved for these “Black Republicans who’ve made vital contributions” to the Republican Get together.

The Trailblazer Award — acknowledged because the occasion’s “signature award” — is given to “a person who has been an distinctive chief within the Republican Get together by means of advancing conservative laws, serving to to elect Republicans, or rising the Republican Get together,” the press launch added.”

Johnson turned a Republican simply six months in the past.

Eric Johnson the Republican

Right here’s what we do learn about Johnson and his affiliation with the Republican Get together.

Dallas’ second-ever Black mayor announcement within the Wall Road Journal op-ed in September that he was switching to the Republican Get together and recommended it was due to the “inconsistent, poll-driven” political setting he labored in as a Democrat.

“I’ve no intention of adjusting my method to my job. However right this moment I’m altering my celebration affiliation,” Johnson wrote within the op-ed. “Subsequent spring, I will likely be voting within the Republican major. When my profession in elected workplace ends in 2027 on the inauguration of my successor as mayor, I’ll depart workplace as a Republican.”

Johnson’s major rationale within the op-ed for switching events appeared to be that he believes that city facilities like Dallas want Republican mayors.

“American cities want Republicans—and Republicans want American cities,” Johnson, whose time period ends in 2027, wrote.

Black Republicans

Johnson, a former lawyer who served within the Texas state legislature for almost a decade as a registered Democrat, is amongst different excessive profile Black folks to modify to the Republican Get together.

His feting on the Black Republican Trailblazers ceremony comes at a time when Republicans have aggressively regarded to provoke assist for his or her most well-liked candidates amongst Black voters, who polling reveals are leaning more and more away from supporting President Joe Biden.

Except for Johnson, the Black Republican Trailblazers ceremony is predicted to have fun former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell with the Legacy Award; Quenton Jordan, vp of the Black Conservative Federation, with the Rising Chief Award; and lawyer Frederick Vialet with the Frederick Douglass Award.

Previous Black Republican Trailblazers awards winners embody South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and former HUD Secretary Ben Carson.

Completely satisfied Black Historical past Month!