Mike Rawlings | |
---|---|
59th Mayor of Dallas | |
In office June 27, 2011 – June 17, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Dwaine Caraway (Acting) |
Succeeded by | Eric Johnson |
Personal details | |
Born | Michael Scott Rawlings August 25, 1954 Borger, Texas, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Micki Rawlings |
Children | 2 |
Education | Boston College (BA) |
Michael Scott Rawlings (born August 25, 1954) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 59th Mayor of Dallas, Texas. A member of the Democratic Party, he won the nonpartisan 2011 Dallas mayoral election defeating former Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle.[1][2][3][4][5] He was reelected in 2015 by defeating Dallas lawyer Marcos Ronquillo.
Rawlings served as CEO of Pizza Hut from 1997 to 2002 and was also a former chief executive of the Tracy-Locke ad agency.[6][7][8] In addition to his work in the city, Rawlings is also a prominent opponent of domestic violence, speaking at many events, including a Ring The Bell event at the United Nations[9] alongside actor Patrick Stewart.[10][11]
Rawlings garnered national attention during the Ebola outbreak, the July 7th, 2016, ambush on Dallas police officers, and a dispute over the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System.[12] On the question of Confederate Statue Removal, Rawlings stated in August 2017 that Confederate statues in Dallas city parks are "monuments of propaganda" and called for a task force to decide what should be done with them.[13] Rawlings pushed for the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue in a city park.[14]
At the 2018 Conference of Mayors, Rawlings, who was known as a supporter of the arts in Dallas, received the 2018 National Award for Local Arts from the United States Conference of Mayors and Americans for the Arts in Washington, DC.[15]
Candidate | Vote number | Vote percentage[16] |
---|---|---|
Mike Rawlings | 28,424 | 40.86% |
David Kunkle | 22,229 | 31.96% |
Ron Natinsky | 17,430 | 25.06% |
E. Edward Okpa, II | 1,474 | 2.12% |
Candidate | Vote number | Vote percentage[17] |
---|---|---|
Mike Rawlings | 31,088 | 55.80% |
David Kunkle | 24,623 | 44.20% |
Main article: 2015 Dallas municipal election |
Candidate | Vote number | Vote percentage[18] |
---|---|---|
Mike Rawlings | 30,703 | 72.55% |
Marcos Ronquillo | 11,384 | 26.90% |
write-ins | 235 | 0.56% |