Nathan Hochman has defeated incumbent George Gascón in the Los Angeles County District Attorney race, marking a major shift from Gascón’s progressive criminal justice approach. Hochman, a former federal prosecutor, positioned himself as a “hard middle” candidate, pledging to balance criminal justice reform with strong public safety measures, according to the Associated Press.
Hochman emerged from a crowded primary field and focused much of his campaign on criticizing Gascón’s policies, which he claims have led to increased crime and leniency toward offenders.
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During debates, Hochman highlighted rising violent crime in Los Angeles, a trend seen statewide and nationally, the AP reported.
“The voters of Los Angeles County have spoken and have said enough is enough of D.A. Gascón’s pro-criminal extreme policies; they look forward to a safer future,” Hochman said in a statement Wednesday. “As D.A., I look forward to representing all of the people, whether they voted for me or not, since their safety will be my responsibility.”
Gascón’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the election results.
Hochman’s win reflects growing public dissatisfaction with progressive district attorneys across California. While two previous attempts to recall Gascón failed, San Francisco voters ousted a similar reform-focused prosecutor in 2022. In Tuesday’s election, Oakland voters also faced a recall measure for their progressive DA, Pamela Price, though results remain pending.
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Gascón, widely seen as a pioneer among progressive prosecutors, co-authored a 2014 California ballot measure that downgraded certain low-level crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. However, this election saw California voters approve a measure partially reversing that law, reclassifying repeat shoplifting offenses as felonies and increasing penalties for some drug charges.
Hochman’s campaign received endorsements from local police unions, victims’ advocacy groups, former DA Jackie Lacey, former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, and over 70 current and former elected officials in Los Angeles County. Hochman raised nearly $4 million, with strong backing from law enforcement and public safety organizations.
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The Association of Deputy District Attorneys applauded Hochman’s victory, calling it a “pivotal moment in the fight to return balance and accountability to the justice system.”
A Southern California native, Hochman previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in California’s Central District and also has experience as a private defense attorney. Although he ran as a Republican in a past bid for California Attorney General, Hochman identified as an independent in this race, describing himself as a lifelong centrist.
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