Speculation is mounting at Dallas City Hall that Mayor Eric Johnson may soon resign to seek another political office.
At least one candidate for mayor says he is ready to run if and when Johnson resigns. Former Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Michael Hinojosa is one of several people being discussed as a possible successor to Johnson, whose term expires in 2027.
Others who are being talked about as potential candidates are developer Peter Brodsky, Dallas workforce czar Lynn McBee and Dallas City Council members Chad West, Gay Donnell Willis and Adam Bazaldua.
“It was really quiet for a long time, but in the last 10 days, I’ve heard it from 10 different sources that he’s going to announce something at some point — that he’s not going to finish his term,” Hinojosa said in an interview.
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The domain name ericjohnsonfortexas.com was registered Oct. 6, according to the website godaddy.com, though it’s unclear who reserved it. The city also canceled a scheduled City Council briefing this week, fueling more speculation.
Johnson has not responded to requests for comment.
For more than a year, Dallas political insiders have questioned whether the mayor will finish his term or seek higher office. Recent events have intensified speculation, with some of it suggesting he may resign soon to run for state or federal office.
Johnson, a Republican since 2023 after switching from the Democratic Party, has been linked to the Texas attorney general’s race and the newly redrawn, Republican-leaning 32nd Congressional District.
“I’ve heard continued rumors about the mayor,” said council member Chad West.
“The mayor has to do the best thing for him at the right time and I will support whatever decision he makes, if he decides to make a decision.”
When asked if he was considering running for mayor, West said, “Right now, I am focusing on being the best council member I can for my district. We have a lot of projects in the works and that is where my focus is at.”
If Johnson does vacate the mayor’s office during this election cycle, the mayor pro tem (currently council member Jesse Moreno) would serve as acting mayor until a special election is held. Because Texas elections are held in May or November, and it’s too late to schedule one for November, the next possible election would be in May 2026, city secretary Bilierae Johnson told The Dallas Morning News.
Among the political offices Johnson could seek if he resigns as mayor are the Texas attorney general seat being vacated by Ken Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate, or a North Texas congressional seat such as the District 32 seat that has been redrawn to be a Republican-leaning district.
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The deadline to file for either race is Dec. 8.
City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert declined comment when asked about the mayor leaving office before his term ends.
“I do not comment on speculation,” she said via text Tuesday.
Tolbert said she requested this week’s meeting be canceled to give city staff time to prepare for the new City Council committees for the new fiscal year, which started Oct. 1.
“This will provide time for appropriate policy related items to be presented to the full City Council in November,” she said.
The mayor sent a memo to city secretary Bilierae Johnson on Oct. 8 requesting that this week’s briefing be canceled after the City Manager’s Office confirmed there were no items scheduled for the Oct. 15 meeting.
Brodsky declined comment on the mayor and whether he planned to seek the office. Brodsky is CEO of the RedBird mall in southern Dallas and has worked closely with city officials to redevelop the area.
When reached for comment Tuesday afternoon, McBee did not rule out running for the office if the mayor were to step down. Johnson appointed McBee, who ran for mayor in 2019, as the city’s workforce czar in 2022.
“We currently have a great mayor and I’m happy to be working with him on important issues like workforce development and creating opportunity. I haven’t heard that he’s planning to leave, but if he were to move on before his term is over, I would certainly consider running. Dallas is at a critical point, and we need experienced leadership that can bring new growth and economic development to all parts of our city.”
Willis did not address speculation about the mayor or her own standing as a potential candidate, except to say she “would certainly give it serious thought” if Johnson announced he was resigning. Willis represents District 13 on the council, which covers central and northwest Dallas.
Bazaldua, the council representative for District 7 in South Dallas, said he would not rule out a run for mayor if Johnson were to resign.
“I think there is a lot to consider and I would say that nothing is off the table,” he told The News.
Dave Carney, Gov. Greg Abbott’s chief political strategist, said he’s not aware of any conversations between Johnson and the Governor’s Office regarding a potential run for attorney general.
The Governor’s Office declined to comment.
Johnson’s 50th birthday celebration was held last Friday, an event hosted by developer Ray Washburne. It’s unclear who attended the event, which happened on the weekend Johnson has traditionally held a fundraiser tied to the Texas-Oklahoma football matchup at the Cotton Bowl. Washburne declined to comment about the event Tuesday or what, if anything, Johnson said at the party.
Johnson had not formed a statewide campaign committee as of Tuesday, according to records with the State Ethics Commission. Such a committee is required in order for a candidate to raise funds for a potential run.
Dallas Morning News reporters Gromer Jeffers Jr. and Nick Wooten contributed to this report.
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