Dallas mayoral election, 2011
Encyclopedia
The Dallas Mayoral Election of 2011 took place on May 14, 2011, to elect the successor to incumbent Mayor Tom Leppert
. Leppert decided not to run for a second term, deciding to instead run for United States Senate in 2012. The race is officially nonpartisan
. After no candidate received a majority of the votes, the top two candidates - Mike Rawlings
and David Kunkle - faced each other in a runoff election on June 18, 2011 in which Rawlings prevailed.
Mike Rawlings
was the last major candidate to announce his candidacy, on February 11, 2011. Republican Edward Okpa entered the race last around the filing period. For the general elections, Rawlings raised over $1.5 million, while Natinsky raised about $400,000, Kunkle raised just under $200,000, and Okpa raised just over $100,000. Rawlings was endorsed by former Dallas Cowboys
quarterback Roger Staubach
, former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk
as well as city council members Tennell Atkins, Vonciel Jones Hill, and Carolyn Davis. Kunkle was endorsed by former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller
. Natinsky was endorsed by Acting Mayor and councilman Dwaine Caraway
, and council members Jerry Allen, Delia Jasso, Sheffie Kadane, Linda Koop, and Dave Neumann.
The runoff between Rawlings and Kunkle ensured that Dallas' mayor would be a Democrat after Republican Tom Leppert had run city hall for four years. During the runoff, Rawlings continued to dominate in fund-raising as he had in the general election. Rawlings was endorsed by both defeated general election candidates – Ron Natinsky and Edward Okpa. Rawlings was also endorsed by several council members who had originally backed Natinsky, such as Jerry Allen, Delia Jasso, Sheffie Kadane, and Linda Koop as well as Ann Margolin, Pauline Medrano, and Steve Salazar, who all three had stayed neutral in the original general election.
Tom Leppert
Tom Leppert is an American politician who served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 2007 to 2011, and who worked as CEO of the Turner Corporation...
. Leppert decided not to run for a second term, deciding to instead run for United States Senate in 2012. The race is officially nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
. After no candidate received a majority of the votes, the top two candidates - Mike Rawlings
Mike Rawlings
Mike Rawlings is the Mayor of Dallas after winning the Dallas Mayoral Election defeating former Dallas Police Chief, David Kunkle. He is also the former CEO of Pizza Hut.- References :...
and David Kunkle - faced each other in a runoff election on June 18, 2011 in which Rawlings prevailed.
Candidates
- David Kunkle - Retired Police Chief of Dallas
- Ron Natinsky - Three term City Councilman from District 12 (Far North Dallas)
- Edward Okpa - Real Estate Appraiser and Perennial Candidate
- Mike RawlingsMike RawlingsMike Rawlings is the Mayor of Dallas after winning the Dallas Mayoral Election defeating former Dallas Police Chief, David Kunkle. He is also the former CEO of Pizza Hut.- References :...
- Former CEO of Pizza HutPizza HutPizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
and former Dallas Parks and Recreation Board President
Summary
On January 16, 2011, Mayor Tom Leppert announced that he would not run for reelection. Republican City Councilman Ron Natinsky was the first major candidate to announce his candidacy, on January 19, 2011. Democratic former Police Chief David Kunkle announced his candidacy on January 31, 2011. Democratic former CEO of Pizza HutPizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
Mike Rawlings
Mike Rawlings
Mike Rawlings is the Mayor of Dallas after winning the Dallas Mayoral Election defeating former Dallas Police Chief, David Kunkle. He is also the former CEO of Pizza Hut.- References :...
was the last major candidate to announce his candidacy, on February 11, 2011. Republican Edward Okpa entered the race last around the filing period. For the general elections, Rawlings raised over $1.5 million, while Natinsky raised about $400,000, Kunkle raised just under $200,000, and Okpa raised just over $100,000. Rawlings was endorsed by former Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
quarterback Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
, former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk
Ron Kirk
Ronald "Ron" Kirk is the 16th United States Trade Representative, serving in the Obama administration. He served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 1995 to 2002; he also ran for the United States Senate in 2002.-Early life and career:...
as well as city council members Tennell Atkins, Vonciel Jones Hill, and Carolyn Davis. Kunkle was endorsed by former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller
Laura Miller
Laura Miller served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 2002 through 2007. She did not run for re-election in the 2007 mayoral race. She was the third woman to serve as mayor of Dallas.- Education and career :...
. Natinsky was endorsed by Acting Mayor and councilman Dwaine Caraway
Dwaine Caraway
Dwaine Caraway is the former Mayor of Dallas after previous mayor Tom Leppert resigned to campaign for a US Senate seat. Caraway's first meeting with the Dallas city council was on March 2. He served as interim mayor until June 26, 2011 He was succeeded by Mike Rawlings.- References :...
, and council members Jerry Allen, Delia Jasso, Sheffie Kadane, Linda Koop, and Dave Neumann.
The runoff between Rawlings and Kunkle ensured that Dallas' mayor would be a Democrat after Republican Tom Leppert had run city hall for four years. During the runoff, Rawlings continued to dominate in fund-raising as he had in the general election. Rawlings was endorsed by both defeated general election candidates – Ron Natinsky and Edward Okpa. Rawlings was also endorsed by several council members who had originally backed Natinsky, such as Jerry Allen, Delia Jasso, Sheffie Kadane, and Linda Koop as well as Ann Margolin, Pauline Medrano, and Steve Salazar, who all three had stayed neutral in the original general election.