Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner fended off the challenge from Pat Dugan in Tuesday's primary election with little difficulty, setting up what appears to be an unabated path to a third term for the progressive Democrat. There were no Republicans running in the GOP primary.
The Associated Press called the race for Krasner an hour and 45 minutes after the polls closed at 8 p.m. With the votes counted in 98% of Philadelphia voting divisions, Krasner had received nearly 64% of the vote to 36% for Dugan, a former Municipal Court judge. All results are unofficial until certified by election officials.
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Krasner, was elected to his first term in 2017. After cruising to reelection in 2021, his campaign this year has largely centered on pledging to stand up to the policies of President Donald Trump and his Republican allies.
Dugan, a U.S. Army veteran, spent 17 years as a city judge before stepping down last year to mount a run against Krasner. Dugan's campaign has called for greater accountability in the district attorney's office, which he says needs more balance between criminal justice reform and commitments to public safety.
Krasner's first two terms have been polarizing. He came under intense criticism from Republicans statewide when gun violence surged in Philadelphia – and in cities across the United States – during the COVID-19 pandemic. An unsuccessful impeachment effort by GOP lawmakers in Harrisburg cast Krasner as lenient with criminals and running a DA's office rife with misconduct.
But over the past few years, Philadelphia has seen steep declines in homicides and shootings – progress that has outpaced similar improvements in other big cities. Krasner has partly credited his methodical approach to reducing violent crime through a mix of community prevention programs and initiatives that open pathways for violent offenders to turn their lives around.
During Krasner's two terms, Philadelphia's prison population has steadily fallen to under 4,000 inmates from a peak of more than 8,000 a decade ago. Dozens of inmates wrongfully convicted of crimes also have been exonerated through the work of the DA's conviction integrity unit.
In a third term, Krasner has said he would aim to protect the rights of immigrants living in Philadelphia and work toward reducing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. He also hopes to push for more public health-based solutions to gun violence and advocate against overly punitive sentences for people convicted of crimes.
On the campaign trail, Dugan has blamed Krasner for businesses leaving Philadelphia and questioned the training and preparedness of his prosecutors in court. He has said he would bring his experience as a judge to the DA's office by expanding programs that support people navigating the criminal justice system and offer more services to crime victims. Among other promises, Dugan also said he would put more emphasis on prosecuting economic crimes and illegal dumping in the city.
Dugan picked up endorsements from a number of labor unions, including the Philadelphia Building Trades Council and the Transport Workers Union that represents SEPTA bus drivers. Krasner's endorsements include the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and the Working Families Party of Pennsylvania.
The Democratic Party in Philadelphia did not endorse a candidate in this year's primary.
Managing Editor Jon Tuleya contributed to this article.