Republican presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott is coming to Dallas on Tuesday to meet with Mayor Eric Johnson.
The meeting follows Johnson’s recent announcement that he is joining the Republican Party, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
“The Republican Party is the Grand Opportunity Party,” Scott said in a statement, per The Dallas Morning News. “Common sense values — lower taxes, safer communities, and empowered parents and families are what we are about. These are American values, and we are happy to have Mayor Johnson.”
Scott is currently serving as U.S. senator for South Carolina while running in the Republican primary for the 2024 presidential election.
Mayor Johnson said on social media that he is “looking forward to meeting with [Scott] during his visit to Dallas and showcasing our city’s successful efforts to lower violent crime.”
“As I’ve previously stated, I don’t endorse candidates in partisan elections as mayor, but I certainly endorse Senator Scott’s interest in the Dallas Miracle,” Johnson said.
The mayor explained in an op-ed published on September 22 that his decision to join the Republican Party stemmed from it being more supportive of “law and order” and “fiscal conservatism.”
Johnson further explained in a radio interview that Democrats’ support of the “Defund the Police” movement was also a significant motivating factor behind his party switch. Another was the Dallas City Council’s recent approval of the largest budget in Dallas history, which will be paid for through a $120 million increase in property taxes.
When asked about the Republican presidential primary, Johnson declined to endorse a candidate and said he is still “taking in information like everybody else.” Johnson said he looks forward to an “interesting” race.
In the op-ed, Johnson said he would “refrain from endorsing candidates seeking partisan political office” while serving as mayor of Dallas. However, he does plan on voting in the Republican primary next spring.
Since the announcement, a movement to recall Johnson has manifested, with the local chapter of the Democratic Party publicly calling for the mayor to resign.
The Dallas County Democratic Party claimed Johnson “[k]nowingly portrayed himself as a lifelong Democratic voter and representative throughout his re-election campaign for mayor,” as previously reported by The Dallas Express.