Philadelphia voters will have another choice for district attorney in November: Judge Pat Dugan.
While Dugan lost the Democratic primary to progressive incumbent Larry Krasner earlier this year, he announced Saturday that he will run as an independent Democrat who will appear on the ballot as a Republican. About 6,000 Philadelphia residents participated in a write-in campaign to put Dugan’s name on the ballot.
“If elected, I will be a district attorney for all of Philadelphia — Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. I’m running for every Philadelphian who wants real safety, real justice, and real accountability, regardless of political belief or personal background,” Dugan said.
Dugan served as a Municipal Court judge for 17 years after being appointed by former Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell in 2007. He stepped down to run for district attorney.
“Pat Dugan has a proven record of standing up for the citizens of Philadelphia and providing fair and honest justice for nearly two decades as a Municipal Court judge,” said Vince Fenerty, chairman of the Philadelphia GOP. “His decision to run for district attorney is an extension of his lifetime of service — as an Army veteran, community volunteer, and judge — to our city.”
A decorated veteran and paratrooper, Dugan served in the Army and Army Reserve, retiring after 23 years as a Mustang captain. He first enlisted in 1981 and reenlisted at the start of the Iraq War in 2003.
Krasner, seeking a third term, defeated Dugan in the May Democratic primary with 62.7 percent of the vote. First elected in 2017 with the support of progressive prosecutors nationwide and funding from Democratic mega-donor George Soros, Krasner has pursued policies of decarceration and ending cash bail for minor offenses.
In 2022, the state House impeached Krasner because lawmakers believed that he was not upholding the law. However, the state Supreme Court threw the impeachment out before the Senate could vote on it.
Dugan said his decision to run in November came after closely reviewing Krasner’s record.
“I cannot stand by and allow Mr. Krasner’s failed policies to continue to hold our city hostage,” Dugan said. “Every Philadelphian has a real choice this fall, and I believe they will stand with me for common sense and safety.”
He pledged to “enforce the law fairly and equally for all, whether the defendant is a police officer or an average citizen. I will restore public safety and prosecute crime. I will not tolerate abuse of power from anyone — police or prosecutor. And I will be guided by what is in the best interest of every victim, every neighborhood, and every resident of our city.”
In recent years, voters in some municipalities have turned against progressive prosecutors, including in Allegheny County and Baltimore. In 2022, San Francisco voters recalled progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
Both state Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) and state Sen. Joe Picozzi (R-Philadelphia) have endorsed Dugan.
“Judge Dugan’s commonsense plan to help make our city safer, deliver fair justice, and rebuild the community’s trust in our justice system earned the support of tens of thousands of Democrats and Republicans in the primary election,” White said. “His no-nonsense, no-politics approach to public safety will resonate even more strongly in the November election.”
Picozzi added, “Firing Larry Krasner has always been a top priority for me and for Northeast Philadelphia. Pat Dugan is a proven leader who will put victims before politics, enforce the law fairly, and make our streets safe again.”
“Mr. Krasner will call me names like extremist and try to compare me to President Trump because he knows his record is one of failure and he cannot defend the rampant crime his policies have caused,” Dugan said. “I know that Philadelphians are smart enough to believe their eyes… and what they see is more crime, more drugs, more victims abandoned, more shootings, and more criminals let loose on the streets.”
Krasner’s campaign could not immediately be reached for comment.
A lifelong Philadelphian, Dugan was born in Fairmount and raised in the Frankford section of the city by a single mother alongside his four siblings. Today, he and his wife, Nancy, share a blended family of six children and 13 grandchildren. Dugan is a longtime active member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and has been involved in local charities for decades.