Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner wins, beats Pat Dugan for second time in 2025

After defeating former Judge Patrick Dugan for a second time in Tuesday’s general election, Larry Krasner became just the second district attorney in Philadelphia to serve more than two terms since the current Home Rule charter was adopted in the 1950s. 

The Democratic primary turned into a November rematch when Dugan, who had been defeated in May, filed paperwork in August to run against Krasner once again in the general election. 

Round two was a nearly identical repeat to the first Krasner-Dugan matchup, with the incumbent Krasner pulling out to a large lead early and garnering enough votes to have the Associated Press call the race at 9:16 p.m. Tuesday. 

Krasner didn’t hold an election night watch party, as campaigns usually do, and couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday night – a sign of how the race itself fizzled out of the spotlight behind the state’s judicial races. 

Dugan, who pitched himself during the primary as a much-needed alternative to Krasner, was unable to defeat the incumbent in May, despite being well-funded and garnering endorsements from the powerful Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council and other unions. He also received the support of Andrew Yang’s Forward Party in the weeks leading up to Election Day. 

During the primary election, Krasner took an early lead over Dugan as soon as polls closed and won by a 60-40 margin – or nearly 17,000 votes. Krasner’s lead this time around was nearly 81-19 when AP called the race in favor of the Democrat. 

Dugan avoided the “tough-on-crime” label and pitched himself as the alternative to Krasner by promising to deliver justice and equity through diversionary programs while still convicting retail theft and gun cases – two areas where Dugan said Krasner has failed the city.

Throughout his campaign, Krasner highlighted the decrease in homicide rates in the city as evidence of the success of his approach – and his electability once again proved to be just fine without the backing of the Democratic City Committee and other centrist and moderate Democrats. 

The two also engaged in a debate over debates, which resulted in the candidates failing to meet on live television.

The second matchup between Krasner and Dugan had little fanfare compared to the primary campaign. The two didn’t meet for a public event, and there were no television advertising campaigns. 

Campaign finance reports filed in October showed Krasner raised just $12,000 over the last month, compared to the $213,000 he took in during the final stretch of the primary campaign. The lack of national campaign donors this time around also underscored the chances Dugan had against Krasner – who’s now won the DA race in a landslide in three consecutive elections. 

Entering a third term, Krasner will be the first DA since Lynne Abraham – who served four four-year terms, from 1991 to 2010 – to serve more than two terms.