Dallas mayor’s pivot from Democratic Party to GOP puts harsh spotlight on ‘crime-infested, liberal-run cities'

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson switched parties earlier this month, as the longtime Democrat joined the GOP citing the need for a conservative approach to crime and the economy, putting another harsh spotlight on issues plaguing America’s Democrat-run cities.  

Tim Young, a conservative comedian and social media influencer based in Grapevine, a small town located directly outside Dallas, purposely avoided crime-infested, liberal-run cities when he decided to move to Texas. 

"The reason I moved here is because I did not want to move to a big city like Dallas or Fort Worth because of crime, because of property tax, because of how crazy a lot of these cities are run. It's almost like, you know, I'd say the Wild West without saying the Wild West."

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"A lot of major cities, especially those run by Democrats… are overrun by crime," Young told FOX News Digital. "It's a scary proposition for a regular person to move to one of these areas. I think that's why we're seeing a mass exodus from most of these areas."

Johnson, a vocal supporter of law enforcement, made the announcement in a Wall Street Journal op-ed with the headline "America’s Cities Need Republicans, and I’m Becoming One." The Dallas mayor’s office is officially non-partisan, but Johnson previously represented Dallas in the Texas House as a Democrat.

He is leaving the Democratic Party because "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," according to the piece. 

"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," Johnson wrote. "In other words, American cities need Republicans — and Republicans need American cities."

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Texas Democrats have slammed Johnson for the move. But Young, who has nearly one million followers on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, believes that law and order, along with fiscal conservatism, should be principles held by every America. 

"They don't want their cities being overrun by crime. They don't want their cities wasting money on programs that aren't benefiting the people. And so, these are principles that basically should reach both parties and any other third party, really, when you think about it, even libertarians are big on this. So, I don't think it's too outlandish for him to want that. I don't think it's too outlandish for so many people to want that," Young said.

"The left has gone so far left that enforcing crime has become a conservative or, you know, crazy right-wing issue for a lot of people on the left. So many cities are just allowing major criminals to walk on the streets," he continued. "So, the concept that this mayor actually wants to enforce the law becomes a right-wing issue when it really is something that everyone supports. So, I guess on that side, it makes sense that he's changed to Republican."

Jason Rantz’s new book "What's Killing America: Inside the Radical Left’s Tragic Destruction of Our Cities," tackles the very subject that caused Johnson to switch parties. Rantz, a Seattle-based conservative radio host who has been putting a spotlight on issues plaguing big cities for years, has noticed what happens in major cities spreads out to suburbs, effectively affecting all Americans.  

"The good news is we know precisely why some of the crises are hitting us. We can point directly to policies, to an ideology," Rantz said. "The problem, however, is that not a lot of people are connecting the dots. Local media doesn't often connect the dots, specifically explaining why something is happening. And so, one of the reasons why I wrote ‘What's Killing America’ is to tell you. To connect the dots for you so that we can actually push back and enact some change."

While Young understands that Johnson needs to be a Republican for law-and-order purposes, he believes the mayor has a bigger job in sight. 

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"Mayor Eric Johnson, I believe, is very clearly running for a higher office here. I think he knows that he can't get elected to a statewide office if he's not a Republican," Young said. 

"My initial [thought] was that it's total B.S… because, you know, this guy has been a Democrat, he's been a lifelong Democrat. He just got re-elected as mayor," he continued. "And so he's got nothing to lose by changing parties. And I think he's doing it for political gain ultimately." 

Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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Johnson was elected mayor in 2019 and was re-elected in 2023 earning 93% of the vote in a race where he was virtually unopposed. Johnson’s current term will end in 2027.

Dallas saw a significant decrease in crime after Johnson took office in 2019. Johnson told FOX News Digital in 2021 he attributed that success to three things — a strong police chief, having "a budget that reflects public safety being your city's top priority" and ensuring there’s "community buy-in" for crime reduction. 

In February, Johnson posted a FOX News Digital article on social media outlining how Austin police officers are retiring in droves due to low morale resulting from defunding and encouraged those officers to move to Dallas and work there.

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FOX News’ Andrew Mark Miller and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report. 

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