Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner won re-election by a wide margin after an unusual race in which he faced challenger Patrick Dugan in both the primary and general elections.
Krasner led with 96% of the votes counted, with about 257,012 votes to Dugan’s 83,352 as of Tuesday morning.
The victory means the 64-year-old former civil rights lawyer will serve a third term as one of the nation’s most prominent progressive prosecutors, whose work focuses on less imprisonment, expanded diversion programs and prosecuting police misconduct is popular with city voters despite critics’ arguments that his policies have contributed to rising crime during the pandemic.
At the beginning of Election Day, Krasner posted a video to his supporters on social media, stating that his expected win would show that “there are new politics.”
“You don’t need all the money. We didn’t have it. You don’t need all the media on your side. We didn’t have it. You don’t need all the traditional insider politicians on your side. We didn’t have it. You just need the votes that we will have,” he said.
He did not host an election night event, as is typical for campaigns, and could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.
(For full election coverage – incl vote to retain three Pa. Supreme Court justices AND Mickey Sherill wins in the New Jersey governor’s race – go to our colleagues’ reports on WHYY News.)
Meanwhile, Dugan continued to attack Krasner despite his lopsided defeat. Speaking to about 100 supporters gathered at the Cannstatter Volksfest social club in Northeast Philadelphia, he said: “Make no mistake, Larry Krasner did not win this election.”
“Larry Krasner has finally been exposed for what he is – a despicable, uncaring and heartless man,” Dugan said to applause. “Yes, tonight I see that I lost the election. But I am happy with the fact that Larry Krasner has finally exposed to anyone with eyes and ears what is a curse on this city.”
The former city judge said he felt compelled to do so take on the Democrats’ primary challenge against the popular DA — and then long-term general election race as the Republican candidate — because of public dissatisfaction with crime, which increased in 2021 before diving in historically low level over the last two years.
Dugan accused the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office of repeatedly allowing people accused of violent crimes to be released from custody and commit more crimes, and said Krasner did not adequately train lawyers on his staff or cooperate with other officials on crime-fighting strategies. Krasner denied these claims.
Leniency debate
Dugan, a former Army reservist and military lawyer, served as a Municipal Court judge for 17 years, most recently as president’s judge, until resigning in 2024 to run for district attorney. He was best known for his work to establish diversion programs, particularly Veterans Court, which offers opportunities for rehabilitation and sentencing alternatives.
But when started his campaign in December he argued that the city’s justice system had leaned too far toward leniency and suggested a tougher approach to accused criminals was needed.
He proposed reorganizing the district attorney’s office into regional divisions made up of prosecutors who worked directly with community members and victims, and said he would “hold all criminals accountable” while strengthening diversion programs for non-violent offenders.
Krasner tried to call Dugan a “right-wing judge” allied with President Donald Trump. Dugan rejected this comparison, calling the president a “lunatic” and suggesting during the election forum that the left-wing DA, like the president, was introducing unilateral changes in policy.
Dugan raised over $900,000 campaign contributionslargely from the trade unions that make up the Philadelphia Building and Construction Council, which supported his candidacy. He was well ahead of Krasner, who received donations of about half a million dollars.
As in Krasner’s previous races, the city’s Democratic Party refused to endorse his campaign, but he still won the primary, winning 64% of the vote compared to Dugan’s 35%.
An unexpected rematch
There were no GOP candidates in the primary, but Republicans eager to unseat Krasner mounted a promotional campaign for Dugan and gave him about 7,000 votes, far more than enough to become their candidate.
Dugan had previously said he wouldn’t run as a Republican, but after his first defeat he didn’t want to rule it out and ultimately changed course.
“I cannot stand by and allow Mr. Krasner’s failed policies to continue to hold our city hostage,” Dugan said. “This fall, every Philadelphian will have a real choice, and I believe they will support me in defending common sense and safety.”
That drew enraged condemnation from Krasner and top Democrats such as Bob Brady, the party’s chairman in Philadelphia, who accused Dugan of lying and vowed to support AD win re-election even though he had previously not supported him for years. Ryan Boyer, an influential leader of the Building Trades Council, said he was “shocked” and would change his support for Krasner.
The general election rematch campaign was subdued; there were no debates, both men raised little money, and Krasner apparently did not organize any campaign events.
Dugan posted a steady stream of videos on social media attacking the sitting president and announced at the last minute that he was endorsing him Fraternal Order of Police. He maintained that he would win if the mute majority of Krasner’s critics reached the polls.
“Get off the couch and vote, people. The only way you can make change in this city is if you allow your voice to be heard,” he said at a news conference last month. “I need you, the people sitting on your couch, to stop complaining and vote.”
