The Forward Party recently endorsed former Municipal Court President Judge Pat Dugan in the race for district attorney during a news conference outside City Hall.
Dugan is challenging two-term incumbent Larry Krasner. The incumbent beat Dugan in the Democratic primary, but Dugan received enough Republican write-in votes to appear on the GOP ticket in the general election.
At the news conference, Dugan – who remains a registered Democrat – was joined by former City Councilman David Oh and Robert Grabel, a member of the Forward Party.
Oh described Dugan as experienced, evenhanded and someone who will bring law and justice to the office. He believes Dugan will make it safer for people like SEPTA riders and park goers.
“Get out there, vote for Pat Dugan for DA,” he said.
Grabel said the Forward Party puts people before politics and service before party, and supports open primaries. He said the party believes Dugan will be nonpartisan, fair and serve with leadership.
In this year’s elections in Pennsylvania, the party has endorsed eight people – three Republicans, one Democrat, one independent and three Forward Party candidates.
“Serve the people. Do the job. Keep politics out of it,” Grabel said.
Dugan, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, spent 17 years as a judge. He created a Veterans Court and Eviction Diversion Court while on the bench. He said Veterans Court had a recidivism rate of less than 10 percent, while Eviction Diversion Court helped thousands of families stay in their home while landlords received payments.
Dugan embraced the Forward Party platform.
“I am the commonsense and the unity candidate that Philadelphia needs,” he said.
In the primary, Dugan received almost 54,000 Democratic votes and about 7,000 Republican write-ins. He hopes Forward Party backing will help him with independent-minded voters. He also said some Democratic elected officials have told him they will be voting for him, but can’t say so publicly.
Turnout in the primary was a miserable 16.61 percent. Dugan wants higher turnout on Nov. 4.
“Get out and vote,” he said. “Get off your butts and vote.”
If elected, Dugan sees himself as the third partner needed by Mayor Cherelle Parker and Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. He will not tolerate the retail theft that has led stores to lock up products such as deodorant and toothpaste.
In office, Dugan said he will train new assistant district attorneys, contending that Krasner does a poor job in that area.
“You see the results in that building over there every single day,” he said, pointing to the Criminal Justice Center.
Dugan said Krasner focuses too much on President Donald Trump.
“When I’m district attorney,” he said, “I will focus on Philadelphia.” ••
