Gascón Bound For Bruising Runoff In Re-Election Bid For LACo DA

LOS ANGELES, CA — District Attorney George Gascón jumped to an early lead Tuesday evening over a pack of 11 challengers in his bid for re-election, likely assuring his spot in a November runoff.

It’s a race being watched far and wide because Gascón has become the controversial face of progressive criminal justice reform.

Gascón shot off to a lead in early returns followed by challenger Nathan Hochman, a former U.S. assistant attorney general who was the Republican candidate for state attorney general in the 2022 general election.

Hochman claimed second place in early returns with 17.7% of the vote behind Gascón's 22.6% as of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

With nobody expected to receive more that 50% of the vote, the top-two vote-getters will advance to the November runoff.

Jonathan Hatami, a child abuse prosecutor in the District Attorney's Office, was running third in early balloting with 12.3%.

While Gascón led the crowded field of contenders Tuesday night, the results appear to show some major challenges for him heading into the general election. Gascón led the pack, but voters appeared to favor his 11 challengers by a margin of 4 to 1 in early returns. Will those voters drift back to him in the general election?

In a general election matchup between Gascón and Hochman, the county's overwhelmingly Democratic electorate would have a choice between a Republican prosecutor or an incumbent most voters eschewed in the primary.

The race, which attracted a historic field of 11 challengers, is largely considered a referendum on Gascón’s policies barring the pursuit of the death penalty and trying youths as adults along with a shift away from sentencing enhancements that lead to longer prison sentences.

Perceived as vulnerable with an electorate frustrated by the pandemic-era spike in violent crime, follow-home robberies and high profile smash and grab mobs, Gascón found himself facing a large field of contenders. Among his challengers are several L.A. County deputy district attorneys, federal prosecutors and judges who have lambasted him as unfit for office.

The Registrar of Voters and Patch will update the results throughout the night as votes are tallied, and the page will be refreshed for the latest updates.

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Gascón’s reelection campaign will test the strength of the progressive coalition that voted him into office over incumbent Jackie Lacey in the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing — an election year when social justice reform was cited as a top priority for many voters. This year, many of his challengers vowed to take a more moderate approach to criminal justice reform.

"This campaign is not about me, this is a community movement," Gascón said last November when he kicked off his reelection campaign. "This is about looking at the criminal justice system of the 21st Century not with a rear-view mirror but looking forward."

Among the candidates that ran for his job are five members of Gascón's office: Jonathan Hatami, a child abuse prosecutor; Lloyd "Bobcat" Masson, a cold case prosecutor; John McKinney, supervising district attorney; Maria Ramirez, the head deputy D.A.; and Eric Siddall, a violent crimes prosecutor.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judges Debra Archuleta and Craig J. Mitchell were also on the ballot, along with David S. Milton, who retired as a Superior Court judge in 2014.

The other candidates include Jeff Chemerinsky, an assistant U.S. attorney; Hochman; and criminal defense attorney Dan Kapelovitz.

Most of the opponents challenged a number of Gascón's policies, with numerous candidates framing a narrative of out-of-control crime in Los Angeles, driven by lenient policies enabling criminals' release.

Hatami, who was hired as a deputy D.A. in 2006, said he wanted to restore public safety and make meaningful reforms in the office.

"As your district attorney, I will prioritize public safety by implementing comprehensive strategies to protect all of our communities from danger, prevent crime, maintain peace, hold violent offenders accountable and establish a path to success for low-level offenders," Hatami said on his campaign's website.

Hatami vowed to "bring transparency back to the people's office, hold wrongdoers accountable, and make real, meaningful reforms."

Masson, another member of the D.A.'s office and a cold case prosecutor, portrayed himself as a prosecutor, not a politician.

"Let's take back our streets and start investing in our youth so we can end the cycles of trauma," Masson said on his campaign's website. "L.A. needs a strong D.A. to tell criminals that playtime is over."

Masson said his top priority is "dropping the hammer" on all robbery, burglary and theft-related offenses, including follow-home robberies, car thefts, retail theft and catalytic converter thefts.

"I would also end all blanket zero-bail policies and operate in accord with what local communities want," Masson added.

The prosecutor stated that sticking to old tough-on-crime tactics won't solve the problem, just as the "current emphasis on no jail time has not worked."

McKinney, a deputy district attorney for L.A. County for 25 years, has also criticized Gascón, saying the D.A. has taken the county too far to one side.

"Since George Gascón took office, our justice system has become a dangerous experiment reducing consequences for crimes and eroding accountability," McKinney said in a campaign ad. "Crime is up. Confidence in our justice system is down."

McKinney vowed to restore common sense to the D.A.'s office and ensure victims receive justice.

"I will support all communities while pursuing evidence-based reforms that make our system more just for all. On my watch, the punishment will always fit the crime -- no more, no less," McKinney said on his campaign's website. "Whenever possible, we will focus on the source of crime, such as the leaders of organized crime rings, cartels, and drug operations."

Ramirez, head deputy D.A., joined the District Attorney's Office in 1990 and became the first Latina to be promoted to that position, according to her campaign. Ramirez said voters have grown distrustful of Gascón's leadership.

"We, as leaders of the justice system in L.A. County, must begin to fix the deep erosion of public trust," Ramirez said on her campaign's website. "And that begins with recommitting to actually protecting the residents of Los Angeles County by ending the cycle of violence with appropriate and fair measures of justice."

In order to achieve any meaningful change, Ramirez said the D.A.'s office must collaborate with community leaders to develop effective crime prevention strategies in communities that have been "burdened with inadequate infrastructure, resources and services."

Siddall, a violent crime prosecutor and deputy D.A., ran on a platform of advocating for responsible reform while prioritizing public safety.

"We need to advance a violence reduction strategy focused on holding the most violent criminals accountable, while recognizing the potential for rehabilitation," Siddall said on his campaign's website.

"We need to develop an infrastructure to deal with our mentally ill and homeless populations that does not involve cycled-incarceration, but also recognizes that releasing people back onto the street without a plan is a danger to everyone, including the defendant."

Siddall, who is an openly gay Latino, served for nearly a decade as vice president of the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys.

The two current L.A. County Superior Court judges Archuleta and Mitchell were eligible to run for office because they took a leave of absence without pay, Rob Oftring, the communications director of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, told City News Service.

Archuleta was a trial lawyer before joining the bench six years ago and has handled more than 100 jury trials, according to her campaign.

"For the last three years, George Gascón has implemented policies that have made communities across Los Angeles County more dangerous," Archuleta said on her campaign's website. "That needs to change, and it will only change with a District Attorney who has the experience to do the job and the ability to defeat George Gascón."

She said violent crime is the No. 1 issue facing L.A. County residents.

"Violent criminals will be prosecuted and punished, especially those who use guns and other deadly weapons,’ she said. “I will end the `catch and release' policies of the current District Attorney."

Archuleta added that she will crack down on organized retail theft, also known as "smash-and-grab" robberies.

Mitchell was appointed to the L.A. County Superior Court in 2005. He has presided over numerous high-profile cases and has become known for his commitment to rehabilitation and restorative justice, according to his campaign. Prior to serving as a judge, Mitchell was an L.A. deputy D.A. for more than a decade.

"Los Angeles is in crisis," Mitchell said on his campaign's website. "This crisis cannot be solved with a one-size-fits-all system of justice. I will put our citizens first.

"Public safety is simply not Gascón's main priority -- rather, it is to minimize the consequences criminals face for their conduct," he added.

Milton, a retired L.A. The County Superior Court Judge who served on the bench from 1995 until 2014 also ran on a platform to reverse Gascón's policies and institute new public protection policies.

"For more than three years, we've seen violence against innocent victims escalate and law and order protection collapse in Los Angeles County," Milton said on his campaign's website.

Milton said the root problem "is our current district attorney. He only investigates or brings charges after embarrassing media coverage and enormous public pressure."

He added that the "role of the district attorney is to protect the public without waiting for the media to force him to do his job."

Chemerinsky, an assistant U.S. attorney who oversees federal prosecutions of violent crime cases in L.A., said voters have lost confidence in Gascón as both a prosecutor and reformer of the criminal justice system.

On his campaign website, Chemerinsky said he wants to be a "voice for the working families of our community by prioritizing the prosecution of crimes that have an outsized impact on working people, such as environmental crime and wage theft."

He added that he would use the role of D.A. to promote strong and sensible gun policies.

Chemerinsky vowed to prosecute "smash-and-grab" robberies to protect the public, workers and businesses. He said he would "ensure zero tolerance for public corruption," and enhance the office's civil rights prosecutions.

Chemerinsky served as chief of the Violent and Organized Crime section of the U.S. Attorney's
Hochman, a former U.S. assistant attorney general, offered what he describes as a "blueprint for justice."

"I am shocked and disappointed at how our public safety has seriously worsened over the last three years under current D.A. George Gascón," Hochman stated on his campaign website. "I am prepared to fight to restore it. My Blueprint for Justice outlines the changes I will make as your District Attorney to restore safety and justice to our county."

Hochman said that under Gascón's leadership, veteran prosecutors were stripped of their ability to file appropriate charges against violent, repeat offenders.

As for part of his blueprint, Hochman vowed to "restore the purpose of the District Attorney's Office to fairly, effectively, and vigorously prosecute those who break laws in Los Angeles County based on the evidence and the law."

Kapelovitz, a criminal defense attorney, was the sole candidate aligning with Gascón's more liberal stance. He said would continue battling mass incarceration and would propose stricter rules on when cases can be filed and bail can be requested.

"We need well-funded programs — not more prisons," Kapelovitz said on his campaign's website. "I'm the only candidate who fights for indigent defendants every day. I'm also the only candidate appointed by the Court to protect the constitutional rights of crime victims who are often further victimized by the system."

Gascón, despite all the criticism, has been able to fend off two recall attempts. During a debate last month with nine of the 11 challengers, Gascón defended his directives.

"We have seen crime coming down not only in our community, but we're seeing crime going down nationwide, at the same time that we have continued with the reform efforts," Gascón said. "We're showing that not only we cannot go back to the way that we did business, but actually the fact is our reforms are good for public safety."

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.