Pat Dugan to challenge DA Larry Krasner again in the general election

Jake Blumgart and Abraham Gutman, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Aug 9, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

PHILADELPHIA — Former Municipal Court Judge Patrick Dugan announced Saturday that he will challenge District Attorney Larry Krasner in the general election, after handily losing the Democratic primary in May.

Dugan is a registered Democrat, but he will file paperwork to appear on November’s ballot as a Republican after the Philadelphia GOP had organized a write-in campaign in an effort to recruit him to continue running against Krasner.

“I cannot stand by and allow Mr. Krasner’s failed policies to continue to hold our city hostage,” Dugan said in a news release announcing his decision. “Every Philadelphian has a real choice this fall, and I believe they will stand with me for common sense and safety.”

Dugan, who had previously said he would not run as a Republican, did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.

In his news release, Dugan argued that “progressive prosecutors” like Krasner have lost recent campaigns in Baltimore and Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh and surrounding communities. The progressive movement has seen similar setbacks in the Midwest and California.

But Krasner, who is running for a third term, won the May Democratic primary decisively. He won the 2021 primary by a similar margin, as city homicides were near record highs.

Today, Philadelphia’s violent crime rates have dropped dramatically, although Dugan still sounded a law-and-order message in his announcement.

“Larry Krasner’s policies have brought chaos to our city with rampant lawlessness, open-air drug trafficking, and skyrocketing violence,” he said. “He has virtually legalized shoplifting, tolerated illegal firearms, and turned a blind eye to the trafficking of women and the poisoning of our communities.”

The two men waged a heated and antagonistic campaign against each other, and that level of vitriol continued in Dugan’s announcement Saturday.

“He has abandoned countless crime victims,” Dugan said in the release. “His lies, lack of integrity, lectures, and ‘let them loose’ philosophy have failed all of us.”

Krasner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bob Brady, chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party, said that it’s a “total disgrace” for Dugan to run in the general election.

“He’s got zero integrity. Zero,” Brady said, noting Dugan’s past commitment not to run as a Republican.

The Philadelphia Democratic Party supported Dugan in multiple races in the past, Brady said. By running against the Democratic nominee, Dugan turned his back on the party for a “pure ego trip.”

“He’s out of the party. He’s got to register Republican,” Brady said. “That’s fine with me. I don’t need liars in our party.”

Electorally, Brady isn’t concerned about Krasner’s chances to defeat Dugan again in November saying, “I can’t see a scenario he wins” and that “it will be fun to beat him.”

Republican ward leaders and committee people organized a write-in campaign for Dugan during the primary, paving the way for him to appear on the ballot in November.

But the judge’s campaign said in May that the lifelong Democrat committed to not running as a Republican in the event that he lost the primary to Krasner.

Dugan earned more than 6,000 Republicans write-in votes in the primary, winning him the party’s nomination. There was no Republican candidate on the ballot in the May primary.

The ex-judge had until Aug. 11 to decide either to pay a filing fee to be the GOP nominee or withdraw from the ballot, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Philadelphia Republicans hope that there are enough Dugan Democratic primary voters, independents, and Republicans for their new nominee to pull an upset in the General Election race. That playbook worked in Baltimore and Pittsburgh, said Vincent J. Fenerty Jr., the chairman of the Philly GOP, in a statement.

Republican elected officials from Philadelphia celebrated Dugan’s announcement in statements.

“Firing Larry Krasner has always been a top priority for me and for Northeast Philadelphia,” said state Sen. Joe Picozzi. “(Dugan) has my full support, and I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with him to take back our city.”

State Rep. Martina White said that Dugan’s “no-nonsense, no-politics approach to public safety will resonate even more strongly in the November election.”

In a phone interview, Fenerty said he was “ecstatic” to learn about Dugan’s decision to run as a Republican in the general election.

“It was a very personal decision that he and his family had to make,” Fenerty said.

The city Republican Party chairman said he believes that Dugan can beat Krasner in the fall.

“It’s a big mountain to climb but it’s achievable,” Fenerty said.