Senator Tim Scott will visit Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson today to welcome him into the Republican Party. The former Democrat mayor switched party membership last month.

Johnson’s party switch took Democrats and Republicans by surprise. As another black Republican in high office, Scott is extending his hand to Johnson. Perhaps he is looking for the mayor’s endorsement. Too cynical? Maybe Tim Scott didn’t hear Johnson’s opinion about endorsing candidates in partisan elections as mayor. Scott’s statement was classic happy warrior.

“The Republican Party is the Grand Opportunity Party,” said Scott in a statement. “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.”

It sounds like the two men have strong support for law and order in common.

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.

On September 22, Johnson wrote in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal that the party is too far left for him these days. He said that Democrat policies create crime and homelessness. Republicans offer fiscal conservatism and law and order. Democrats offer the defund the police movement, which Johnson said was a big motivator for him to switch parties.

Democrats are not happy in Dallas. The head of the Dallas County Democratic Party calls for Johnson to resign. Johnson refuses and said he will complete his term. His term doesn’t end until 2027.

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.

One opinionmaker blasted Tim Scott for not joining in with supporting the striking UAW workers. Then turned to Johnson and his act of “deception” with the party change.

Now to the blatant “Deception” of Dallas mayor Eric Johnson, who recently switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. As shocking as this may have been to those constituents whom he deceived into supporting him for a second term in a solidly blue city, it was not surprising to me.

As a politically observant Texan, I saw how he had used the Democrat label for years to get elected and then pushed a GOP agenda – espousing their hard line on issues from law-and-order to tax cuts. The party switch just confirmed the way he had been leading for years, while strongly criticizing his former party’s governance of cities.

But Houston’s Major Sylvester Turner, who was also unaware of Johnson’s deception, cites his own record in Houston in reducing crime, homelessness and addressing other urban challenges firmly, but more compassionately. “Democratic mayors are the boots on the ground,” he says. “We are responding to people’s needs.”

Eric Johnson’s betrayal of loyal supporters in Dallas raises a red flag in Houston too. Much like Johnson, a mayoral candidate in Houston appears to be counting on the loyalty of some Labor supporters and other mainstream progressives while adding poisonous side elements of anti-worker, anti-justice, and forced birthers funded by pay-to-play partisan Republicans.

I am not familiar with the opinionmaker but I live in Houston. I can tell you that crime is not “reduced” in the city. Homelessness is rampant, too. Houston has not had an official defund the police movement but there are plenty of Soros-sponsored D.A.s who release criminals instead of putting them in jail. Houston homicide rates were up 54% in 2022.

The opinion piece against Scott and Johnson ended with threats. We won’t forget…

So how do we respond to these perpetrators of disrespect and deception? First, we let Sen. Scott know that union members across this country will not forget his uninformed and dismissive response to the UAW’s legitimate strike for fairness.

As for Mayor Johnson, whatever he plans to do after his tenure is over, we will make sure no one forgets his treachery in Dallas and that he is a politician who can never ever be trusted. And all the while, we must be on guard to make sure Johnson’s betrayal in Dallas doesn’t serve as a political template in the upcoming Houston Mayoral election or anywhere else.

“Treachery.” Heh. When black politicians decide to leave and pursue their own political philosophy, not that of Democrats, this is how they are treated. It’s disgusting and outdated. You could say it’s a threat to democracy.