PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Incumbent Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has held on to his job in a sizeable general election victory Tuesday night.
"We are all going back to work tomorrow because we are servants of a truly national, truly grassroots movement for criminal justice reform," Krasner, a Democrat, said after he defeated Republican challenger Chuck Peruto.
"The reason you just keep winning is that unlikely, hesitant never voters are voting...because criminal justice reform is on the ballot."
Krasner said to supporters in a victory speech that such reform is why progressives like him are winning more often in district attorney races.
"In two years we went from about 30 million, 35 million to about 70 million Americans who have voted in and often re-voted in a progressive prosecutor," he said.
Krasner said supporters re-hired him to continue what he calls a mandate.
"Our primary focus will be the same as it has been, which is to focus on the most serious crime, and reform which actually makes us safer," he told KYW Newsradio Crime and Justice Reporter Kristen Johanson.
"We have already done a retreat within the office in which we have considered policies from other jurisdictions," he said.
"We have a strong policy team, we have a criminologist and data team. And we have broken down into several subgroups that are studying those different ideas. We will be prepared by the new year to announce an agenda, hopefully a four-year agenda."
Krasner said he’s been speaking more with the mayor and police commissioner as shootings and homicides remain at record levels. All three have been heavily criticized for their response to the bloodshed.
"I just got beat fair and square," Peruto told KYW Newsradio's Pat Loeb in a frank, but gracious and lighthearted conversation.
"We did some scientific research, and the reason Larry won is that more people voted for him."
Peruto had promised to try to tackle the violent crime epidemic, but he says Krasner had a powerful constituency.
"Unfortunately, it’s not about who you’re locking up, it’s who you’re letting out," said Peruto.
"If you’re a mother of two children and one was assassinated and one is doing life in prison, you can’t bring the dead child home, but you might be able to bring the imprisoned child home and Larry’s your hope."
After Krasner's victory speech, Peruto said simply, "This is the most embarrassing thing I ever got involved with."
Interested in the rest of the results? For all Pennsylvania election results, click here. And for full election results in New Jersey, click here.
Listen to KYW Newsradio election coverage below.
