Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson declared Friday that he was switching parties and becoming a Republican, writing in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that he disagreed with Democrats on how to deal with crime and taxes in the city. He said that he would instead be championing expansions in the police force for public safety and “fiscal restraint.” “Most of these local leaders are proud Democrats who view cities as laboratories for liberalism rather than as havens for opportunity and free enterprise,” he wrote. Texas Democrats weren’t surprised and took to X, formerly Twitter, to write that the change was “welcome,” citing Johnson’s “long-standing affinity with Republican leaders and ideology” that “tarnish[ed] the brand and values” of the party. Dallas was known for being a reliable city for Democrats in an overly red state but is now the largest city in the country with a GOP mayor.