Krasner Win Shows Power of Progressive District Attorney Movement

Today, Color Of Change PAC, the largest Black PAC in the country, released the following statement on the primary victory of Larry Krasner on his re-election bid as Philadelphia's District Attorney.

"Larry Krasner's win is a testament to the tenacity and power of the movement for racial justice. Voters first turned out in big numbers to elect Krasner four years ago, and have done it again. This is a win for Black communities that need progressive-minded District Attorneys who will protect us and develop systems for real justice," said Rashad Robinson, spokesperson for Color Of Change PAC. "As a longtime advocate for victims of police brutality and other unjust criminal practices, we are excited to see Krasner build upon the successes of his first term and continue pushing imperative reforms to ensure public safety. This race is a referendum on progressive policies which has the potential to create racial equity in the criminal justice system, focusing on issues that disproportionately impact Black people and communities of color."

Since 2016, Color Of Change PAC has led a nationwide effort to elect progressive District Attorneys, who are uniquely positioned to create systematic change by prioritizing a range of policies, from holding police accountable to enacting bail reform. Krasner became one of the first DA candidates to be endorsed by the PAC in 2017, and since his historic bid, has demonstrated a clear commitment to building a more fair criminal justice system. Efforts in his first term have led to a 30 percent reduction in the number of people in jail, and reduced the number of children charged as adults by 50 percent citywide. Krasner's leadership has led to the exoneration of 20 wrongfully convicted individuals, and the incumbent has never sought the death penalty in any case.

"Krasner's win is particularly significant in this challenging moment, as the pandemic took a disproportionate toll on incarcerated individuals. Moving forward, strong values, progressive policies and forward-looking leadership are critical. By keeping Krasner in office, Philadelphia voters have made clear that the city must prioritize restorative criminal justice measures," Robinson added. "Though progress has been made, there is still more work to do, and more aggressive reform to enact. Ending money bail and holding police to account remain high on the list of expectations for the DA's tenure. Color Of Change PAC and the larger racial justice movement will continue to hold Krasner accountable to deliver on his promises."

Here are a few of the key statistics about Color Of Change PAC's contributions to this election:

• Over 213 volunteers and event attendees mobilized
• 322,868 voters contacted (numbers dialed, numbers texted), including:
• 301,687 texts sent to voters
• 21,181 calls made to voters
• 195,644 direct mail pieces sent to Black voters and members
• Over 2 million digital ad impressions
• 1.09 million emails sent specific to GOTV and educating voters
• 86,234 broadcast SMS sent to mobilize COC members

Color Of Change PAC draws the link between voter turnout in district attorney races and real change in Black communities. The PAC seeks to endorse candidates that support the criminal justice demands which will bring about essential reforms, which include ending money bail, reducing collateral consequences for immigrant defendants, protecting kids within the juvenile justice system, holding police accountable, and being more transparent with the public.