Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings says he'll seek re-election next year.
Rawlings made the announcement Tuesday morning before the annual State of the City speech.
"To begin with I want to share with you the news that I will be seeking re-election for a second term as mayor of Dallas," Rawlings said Tuesday. "I’d like to thank my family and especially Micki for their support. She and I have had long conversations about this decision and we both feel it is the right thing to do. Dallas is poised for continued greatness for the coming years and it is an honor for us to be the servants of the citizens of Dallas on that important journey."
The decision by the mayor ends months of speculation at Dallas City Hall regarding the mayor's political future.
“We must grow our economy south of the Trinity. We must change the education trajectory of our next generation. We must attract a creative generation to our city that make and live for the arts, and we must reach out around the globe and welcome all comers to our city of opportunity,” Rawlings said.
Our media partner, The Dallas Morning News, expects Rawlings to be a heavy favorite to win re-election.
Rawlings was first elected mayor of Dallas in 2011, beating former Dallas Chief of Police David Kunkle in a runoff. He succeeded Dwaine Caraway who was named interim mayor after Mayor Tom Leppert announced near the end of his first term that he was resigning to run for a U.S. Senate seat.
