Former Philly Judge Patrick Dugan to announce he’s running for DA, likely setting up contest with Larry Krasner
The influential Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council will back the former judge as he runs for district attorney, a job currently held by progressive Larry Krasner.
Former Philadelphia Judge Patrick Dugan will announce that he’s running for district attorney with the backing of the politically influential building trades unions, becoming the first candidate to formally announce a bid to be the city’s top prosecutor and setting up a likely contest with progressive incumbent Larry Krasner.
Dugan, a longtime Philadelphia Municipal Court judge who resigned last month amid rumors he planned to launch a run for district attorney, will announce his campaign for the Democratic nomination on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, according to a news release.
Krasner, the two-term incumbent district attorney, is expected to seek a third term in office but has not formally announced a reelection campaign. Krasner’s criminal-justice reform agenda has drawn criticism throughout his tenure, including a 2022 Republican-led impeachment in the Pennsylvania House.
Dugan’s candidacy was no secret — he is the only candidate to have filed paperwork with the city to run for district attorney. And on New Year’s Day, signs reading “Judge Pat Dugan for District Attorney” and “Fire Krasner” were spotted near City Hall.
Several other candidates have been rumored to be interested in the race, but none have announced a campaign ahead of the May primary. One rumored potential candidate, former City Councilmember Derek Green, said last week that he will not run.
The Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, an umbrella organization of labor unions, is deep-pocketed and credited with playing a major role in Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s winning campaign in 2023. The group is led by Ryan N. Boyer, a close Parker ally.
It’s unclear how much money the group intends to sink into the DA’s race this year.
Krasner declined to comment on Dugan’s candidacy, saying only: “I wish anyone who wants to run for DA a fair fight and an election with integrity, and I hope there will be a robust exchange of ideas about public safety.”
Dugan was first appointed to the city’s Municipal Court in 2007 and was reelected following his initial term. He served as president judge beginning in 2019 and ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the state Superior Court in 2023.