Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson discusses re-election bid after former Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa said he won't run
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – As first reported Sunday evening, former Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa told CBS 11 he won't run for Dallas Mayor next spring.
Hinojosa, who left his job last July earlier than planned so he could consider a run, said he decided against challenging Mayor Eric Johnson because the timing isn't ideal, his consultant work is keeping him very busy and that it would be difficult to campaign for the job.
On Monday, Johnson said he's focused on his re-election bid and not on potential challengers.
"If you look at the story of Dallas, it's actually a national success story," Johnson said. "We've done a lot of great things in this city over the past four years. I think if you ask the voters the direction the city is going, they'll say it's going in the right direction."
SMU Political Science Professor Cal Jillson said he is surprised Hinojosa isn't running. "It is a big deal."
Mike Ablon, who was among those who ran for Mayor in 2019, like Johnson, is considering a run again.
He said he's "doing a lot of listening."
Jillson said, "Right now, the Mayor does look safe. It'll be a smaller field I think because the Mayors running for re-election usually prevail."
Hinojosa's decision not to run comes as Mayor Johnson has received numerous endorsements and raised a lot of money.
Endorsements include longtime Dallas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, veteran State Senator Royce West, and former Dallas Mayor and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert.
More than two dozen former city council members, current and past state representatives who chair education committees, and three current Dallas ISD Board Members have also backed Johnson.
A campaign finance report from this past July shows Johnson raised more than $331,000 between January 1 and June 30 of this year and had more than $875,000 in his office-holder account.
Johnson said, "I'm humbled by it. I'm grateful for it, but I think it means, folks who know, are saying let's re-elect the Mayor, let's keep this momentum going."
The Mayor said his proudest accomplishments include the city's falling violent crime rate for two years and rejecting the defund the police movement. "I took a very firm stance against that when it was not popular, and we've been proven right, those of us who believe you don't cut the police budget and you don't cut overtime and you don't do those things in the middle of a violent crime uptick."
He also pointed to economic development. "The whole world was dealing with the pandemic but not everyone's bounced back the way we have - $14 billion of new investment in Dallas over the past four years, that's extraordinary."
Johnson said if re-elected, he would remain focused on those areas and said he would also like to reduce homelessness and substantially increase the number of parks and green space in the city.
Candidates for Mayor and city council can begin filing paperwork to appear on the ballot January 18.
The filing deadline is February 17.