District Attorney Larry Krasner officially launched his re-election campaign on Tuesday, promising voters a safer and freer Philadelphia, as well as pledging to stand up against MAGA extremism.
Krasner, a Democrat, was first elected to in 2017 and has served two terms as Philadelphia’s district attorney. He will face Democratic challenger Patrick Dugan, who joined the race last month.
“Krasner is launching his third campaign with our city and nation facing an unprecedented threat from Donald Trump, a convicted felon who is already using the presidency to politicize the Department of Justice and crack down on Black and brown families, particularly immigrants, even as he gives his political allies and donors a pass,” a Krasner spokesperson wrote in a release.
Krasner has been a longtime critic of President Donald Trump. In the fall, he sued Elon Musk over $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes leading up to the November Presidential election.
“We have an unprecedented situation in Washington DC,” Krasner said during a press conference Tuesday. “Here’s the bottom line—haters lose. They’re going to lose, and they’re going to lose big.
“The people on the wrong side of this moral line will get the reputation they deserve,” he added.
Krasner promised to stand up against billionaires and private prison owners “who are making money from Trump’s attacks on immigrants and working families.”
Krasner also vowed to protect Philadelphians’ civil rights in his ongoing battle against mass incarceration. Philadelphia’s prison population is down 41% from July 2015 to September 2024, a decrease of nearly 3,350 people.
The city’s homicide rate has also fallen — through Tuesday, there have been 28 homicides this year, a 31% drop from this time last year, according to Philadelphia Police data.
Krasner touts the drop in killings across the city to homeless and mental health outreach efforts, as well as a more efficient police force and holistic approach to justice reform.
“As of this morning, we have the lowest number of homicides in at least that last 15 years. That’s where we are,” Krasner said. “When you let young people see a future, it becomes safer.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that if we stand up together… this is going to be the city and country that we want it to be,” Krasner finished.
