Former Philadelphia Judge Patrick Dugan has made a bold move in the fight against crime by announcing his intention to run as a Republican candidate against incumbent District Attorney Larry Krasner. Dugan, a former municipal judge who lost to Krasner in May’s Democratic primary, is now seeking to challenge him on the GOP line in November’s election. His decision to run as a Republican comes amid heightened national attention on urban crime, with President Donald Trump recently taking control of Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973.
Dugan, who earned enough write-in votes to qualify for the Republican ballot, argues that Krasner’s approach has led to rampant crime, including a surge in shootings, drug-related incidents, and public safety failures. He warned that Krasner may attempt to label him as an ‘extremist’ linked to Trump, but Dugan remains confident that Philadelphians will reject what he calls ‘failed policies.’ Meanwhile, Trump’s intervention in D.C. underscores a broader political focus on crime and law enforcement, with the president claiming that the city’s violent crime rates rival those of Central American capitals.
The contest has drawn sharp criticism from within the Democratic Party, with Philadelphia Democratic Party boss Bob Brady calling Dugan a ‘disgrace’ and expelling him from the party. Krasner, who previously faced a primary challenge, was re-elected with a strong lead, though the GOP’s push for his removal has created an unexpected dynamic in the race. As the election approaches, the outcome could have significant implications for Philadelphia’s approach to crime and the national political discourse on law and order.