Several City of Dallas elected officials have shared their condolences after the death of U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson on Sunday, celebrating the life and career of the congresswoman.
Johnson represented Dallasites in Congress for three decades before retiring in January 2023. She passed away at the age of 88. Although Johnson was a Democrat, she was known as a pragmatist who worked well with her Republican colleagues.
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) said on social media that she “gained the respect of members on both sides of the aisle.”
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, who recently joined the Republican Party, released a statement in remembrance of the congresswoman.
“Today, our nation, our state, and our city have lost a statesman, a trailblazer, and a champion,” he said. “And I have lost a dear friend, confidante, and mentor.”
The mayor said he first met Eddie Bernice Johnson when he was in high school, shortly after she joined Congress.
“In the years since then, Dallas and our state grew and changed at an incredible pace. But in Washington, we had a constant, steady, determined leader fighting for our communities and representing our interests,” he said. “Eddie Bernice Johnson authored and co-authored more than 177 bills that became law, and she worked with both Republicans and Democrats to get the job done for Dallas, for our region, and for our state.”
“She was the single most effective legislator Dallas has ever had. Nobody brought more federal infrastructure money home to our city. Nobody fought harder for our communities and our residents’ interests and safety. And nobody knew how to navigate Washington better for the people of Dallas.”
“Personally and professionally, she touched countless lives, including mine. I am devastated and heartbroken by her passing, and my thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones,” he continued. “May she rest in the peace she deserves after a life well lived, and may her legacy long endure in Dallas and in the nation she helped shape.”
Furthermore, three members of the Dallas City Council released statements on the passing of the congresswoman, expressing sympathies for her family and praising her political accomplishments.
Council Member Carolyn King Arnold said she has “many great memories working alongside [Johnson] in southern Dallas.”
“[Johnson] made it clear she was there to get things done. She waited for no one to do what she could get done herself –- and better!” said Arnold. “What a fierce woman she was for Dallas!”
“I valued her advice on the importance of working with the federal government as a partner to address many of the issues the city faced such as transportation, Veterans care, small business funding and other critical areas,” the councilwoman continued. “I am sending prayers and blessings for her family as they prepare her homegoing.”
Council Member Paula Blackmon praised Johnson as a “trailblazer” for the city.
“She was a true champion for Dallas and, in particular, White Rock Lake,” Blackmon said. “Her advocacy is a testament to her commitment to the environment and the recreational spaces that everyone in the Dallas community could enjoy.”
“When she said, ‘I got this,’ you knew it was good as done,” she said. “I’m grateful to have been able to call Eddie Bernice Johnson my friend; my prayers are with her family and friends.”
Council Member Adam Bazaldua said Johnson left a mark not only on Dallas but on District 7 in particular.
“She loved her City and no one has fought harder for us,” he said. “Her memory is most certainly a blessing.”
