Rep. Eric Johnson holding his four-year-old son William, at this year’s swearing-in in Austin. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
UPDATE:
Rep. Eric Johnson will remain in office through the spring campaign for mayor.
“I will not be resigning to run for mayor,” Johnson wrote to Dallas Voice. “I plan to work harder and be more effective down in Austin than I’ve ever been. I have an energy and passion for public service that is hard to put into words.”
ORIGINAL POST:
State Rep. Eric Johnson entered the Dallas mayoral race today (Tuesday, Jan. 22).
Johnson has served in the Legislature since 2010.
“I believe I offer the citizens of Dallas a unique combination of experience, energy, and creativity when it comes to solving problems, along with a proven track record of working well with people from varying backgrounds in order to accomplish great things,” Johnson said in a press release. “I have represented one of the most diverse House districts in the state for nearly a decade, and I’ve shown that I can bring people together to get the job done for all of our families.”
In each session of the Legislature since he came to office, Johnson has sponsored legislation supporting LGBT equality.
Johnson is a Dallas native and was raised in West Dallas. He’s a Harvard graduate and has a law degree from University of Pennsylvania Law School and a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton.
Since financial reports for last quarter were released, former Dallas City Attorney Larry Casto had the poorest showing in fundraising for those who had entered the mayor’s race before the end of 2018. He has withdrawn from the election.
We’re waiting to hear from Johnson whether he’ll remain in the Legislature through the current term. The election is May 4 and runoff is June 8. The current term of the Legislature ends May 27.
The filing deadline is Feb. 15, so more candidates may be jumping into the race.
— David Taffet
