Los Angeles County voters will decide next month whether District Attorney George Gascón will remain in office in a race focused on public safety. Gascón, elected in 2020 on a progressive criminal justice platform, faces 11 challengers in the March 5 primary. His challengers blame his policies for rising crime rates, including high-profile smash-and-grab robberies at luxury stores. While violent crime has decreased slightly in the city of Los Angeles and the county, property crime has increased, leaving many feeling unsafe.
Gascón, elected in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, implemented policies like not seeking the death penalty, ending cash bail for misdemeanors, and not prosecuting juveniles as adults. These policies sparked backlash, including two failed recall attempts. His challengers, including local prosecutors and former federal prosecutors, are campaigning on a tougher approach to crime, seeking to reverse Gascón’s progressive policies while remaining mindful of the Democratic electorate in LA County. The top two candidates in the primary will likely face off in a November runoff.
Gascón’s first term has been turbulent, with his orders to prosecutors to stop seeking longer sentences and cease using sentencing enhancements facing legal challenges. He faced no-confidence votes from municipal governments, criticism from other district attorneys, and backlash from victims’ advocates. Gascón was forced to roll back some of his reforms, such as initially dropping enhancements and downgrading a hate crime charge. The unions representing police officers and sheriff’s deputies have not endorsed any candidate in the primary, while the Association of Deputy District Attorneys has endorsed one of Gascón’s challengers.
The challenger field is campaigning on undoing many of Gascón’s policies, with the goal of taking a tougher stance on crime while maintaining certain progressive reforms. Gascón’s chances in the November runoff are uncertain, with experts predicting a close race due to the large number of candidates splitting the vote. Despite the challenges he has faced in his first term, Gascón remains a polarizing figure in Los Angeles County, with supporters lauding his progressive approach to criminal justice and critics blaming him for rising crime rates.
The outcome of the upcoming election will have significant implications for the direction of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, the largest prosecutor’s office in the country. The debate over public safety, criminal justice reform, and the role of prosecutors in addressing crime will continue to be central issues in the race. Voters will have the opportunity to shape the future of law enforcement and criminal justice in one of the most populous and diverse counties in the United States.
