Mike Rawlings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Rawlings
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| 59th Mayor of Dallas | |
| In office June 27, 2011 – June 17, 2019 |
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| 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 was born on August 25, 1954. He is an American businessman and politician. He served as the 59th Mayor of Dallas, Texas. A mayor is the leader of a city government. They help make important decisions for the city and its people.
Mike Rawlings is a member of the Democratic Party. He won the election to become mayor in 2011. He beat David Kunkle, who used to be the Dallas Police Chief. Rawlings was re-elected in 2015. He won against Dallas lawyer Marcos Ronquillo.
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Mike Rawlings: A Leader for Dallas
Before becoming mayor, Mike Rawlings was a successful businessman. He was the CEO of Pizza Hut from 1997 to 2002. He also led the Tracy-Locke advertising agency as its CEO. This experience helped him understand how to manage large organizations.
Fighting Domestic Violence
Besides his work in the city, Rawlings is also known for fighting domestic violence. This means he works to stop violence in homes and families. He spoke at many events to raise awareness. One important event was a "Ring The Bell" event at the United Nations. He spoke there alongside famous actor Patrick Stewart.
Important Moments as Mayor
During his time as mayor, Mike Rawlings faced several big challenges. He gained national attention during the Ebola outbreak in Dallas. He also led the city after a sad event on July 7, 2016. This was when Dallas police officers were attacked. He also worked on a disagreement about the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System.
Confederate Statues in Dallas
In August 2017, Rawlings spoke about Confederate statues in Dallas city parks. He said these statues were "monuments of propaganda." He wanted a special group to decide what to do with them. Rawlings strongly supported removing a statue of Robert E. Lee from a city park.
Supporting the Arts
Mike Rawlings was also known for supporting the arts in Dallas. In 2018, he received a special award. It was the National Award for Local Arts. This award came from the United States Conference of Mayors and Americans for the Arts. He received it in Washington, D.C. This shows his dedication to making Dallas a vibrant place for art and culture.
How Mike Rawlings Became Mayor
Mike Rawlings ran for mayor of Dallas twice and won both times.
The 2011 Mayoral Election
In 2011, Mike Rawlings first ran for mayor. He won the initial election with the most votes. However, he did not get more than half of the votes. This meant there had to be a second election, called a runoff. In the runoff election, he competed against David Kunkle. Mike Rawlings won the runoff election and became the Mayor of Dallas.
The 2015 Mayoral Election
Mike Rawlings ran for re-election in 2015. He won this election by a large number of votes. He beat Marcos Ronquillo, who was also a lawyer in Dallas. This allowed him to continue serving as mayor for another term.
