A debate over leniency

Dugan, a former Army reservist and military lawyer, served as a Municipal Court judge for 17 years, most recently as its president judge, until he quit in 2024 to run for DA. He was best known for his work establishing diversion programs, particularly a Veterans Court that offers rehabilitation and alternative sentencing options.

However, when he launched his campaign in December, he argued the city’s justice system had tilted too far toward leniency and suggested a tougher approach to accused criminals was needed.

He proposed reorganizing the DA’s office into regional divisions with prosecutors who worked directly with community members and victims, and said he would “hold all criminals accountable,” while still strengthening diversion programs for nonviolent offenders.

Krasner attempted to label Dugan a “right-wing judge” aligned with President Donald Trump. Dugan dismissed the comparison, calling the president “a nut” and suggesting during an election forum that the left-wing DA was like the president in making unilateral policy changes.

Dugan raised more than $900,000 in campaign contributions, much of it from labor unions who are part of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, which endorsed his run. He far outstripped Krasner, who received about half a million dollars in donations.

As in Krasner’s previous races, the city Democratic Party declined to endorse his campaign, but he swept the primary nonetheless, earning 64% of the vote to Dugan’s 35%.

An unexpected rematch

There were no GOP candidates in the primary election, but Republicans eager to unseat Krasner organized a write-in campaign for Dugan and gave him about 7,000 votes, far more than enough to make him their nominee.

Dugan had said earlier that he would not run on a Republican ticket, but after his primary loss, he declined to rule it out and eventually reversed course.

“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.”

That provoked angry condemnations from Krasner and top Democrats like Bob Brady, Philadelphia’s party chair, who accused Dugan of lying and vowed to help the DA win re-election despite previously not supporting him over the years. Ryan Boyer, the influential leader of the Building Trades Council, said he was “shocked” and would switch his support to Krasner.

The rematch campaign for the general election was a muted affair; there were no debates, the two men raised little money and Krasner apparently held no campaign events.

Dugan posted a steady stream of social media videos attacking the incumbent and announced a last-minute endorsement by the Fraternal Order of Police. He maintained that he would win if only a silent majority of Krasner critics made it to the polls.

“Get off your couch and vote, folks. That’s the only way you’re going to make a change in this city, is let your voice be heard,” he said at a press conference last month. “I need you, the people sitting out there on the couch, to stop complaining and vote.”