Who is Johnny Jessie, the man challenging Dawson’s mayor?

DAWSON – Johnny Jessie is a “working man” who was born and raised in Dawson. 

A few years ago, the U.S. Army veteran, in his daily uniform of a cotton shirt, blue jeans and work boots, decided he wanted to run to be the city’s mayor one day. Jessie said he started reading a book about being a small-town mayor in 2022. He placed his name on the ballot in 2025, running against former Dawson Mayor Ada Lemons-McIntyre and the incumbent, Robert Aaron. 

No candidate got more than 50% of the vote on Nov. 4, so the election went into a run-off. Jessie and Aaron will face off again during a Dec. 2 election. 

“I wish him luck on it,” Jessie said. “But he’s in for a fight now. I just want a clean race. If he beats me, I’ll shake his hand. If I lose it, I’ll be doing the same things I’ve been doing.”

Jessie has deep roots in Terrell County.

“Everybody knows me,” he said. “You can ask anybody in Terrell County, and they won’t say anything bad about me.”

Upon arriving for his interview at the local Jack’s restaurant, Jessie takes a few minutes to hug and greet the workers. He hands out a maroon hat that reads: “Honesty & experience: Vote Jessie.” 

“Dawson is a nice little town,” he said. “There’s a lot of nice people here, but it’s come to a standstill. We’ve got to have good leadership.”

Jessie joined the Army shortly after graduating high school and served 29 years and nine months, fighting in the Gulf War during Operation Desert Storm. He’s served in Dawson’s Police Department and has been a local mechanic for the last few decades. 

Jessie said he can’t speak specifically about his plans as mayor.

“I’ll just have to see when I get there,” he said. 

However, Jessie said he’s worried about Dawson’s operations. He wants to address the city’s roads and potholes, like most people, but his concerns go deeper into the city’s leadership. 

He said he wants to address local law enforcement staffing, pay and overtime. 

“The police department is in bad shape,” Jessie said. 

He said he wants to promote more public participation and attendance in city meetings. 

“That City Hall should be full of people,” he said. 

Jessie said he wants to see more collaboration and compromise when decisions are being made by the city’s leadership. 

“Don’t mix personal problems,” he said. “Sit down and negotiate.” 

He said better leadership is needed to bring back industry and business.

Jessie said he loves Dawson and its people, and he’d be an easygoing leader that listens to everyone. He’s a go-getter who said he wouldn’t mind going to fill Dawson’s many potholes himself.

Currently, Dawson’s mayor is doubling as its city manager after former city manager Cherysh Green-Caldwell was fired. 

“Being the mayor and the city manager, it’s not really a hard job,” he said. “You’ve got to know how to be a people person.

“The people of Dawson don’t work for the mayor – the mayor works for the people. That’s me. I’m going to be the people’s mayor.”