Larry Krasner and Pat Dugan
At recent campaign events, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has amplified rhetoric suggesting President Trump intends to send the National Guard to Philadelphia, escalating the narrative for political purposes despite no federal announcements targeting the city. Additionally, Krasner frequently makes misleading claims about the Republican approach to civil rights and women’s rights, even as data shows a significant presence of women in senior Republican government roles. These tactics contrast sharply with rising crime and the DA office’s conviction record, while Pat Dugan campaigns on actionable crime strategies that resonate with both Republicans and moderate Democrats seeking change.
Krasner has hosted a series of public meetings and town halls warning residents to prepare for a National Guard presence allegedly orchestrated by Trump — even though the Trump Administration has not listed Philadelphia as a target city for such federal deployment. Krasner frames Trump as “the real emergency” in Philadelphia, suggesting an imminent federal “invasion,” and encourages residents to resist and document any troop presence.
While it’s true that Trump has sent the National Guard to cities like Los Angeles, Memphis, and Washington, D.C., he has only discussed, not formalized, plans for other Democrat-led cities. Philadelphia remains unlisted in any official National Guard mobilization announcements to date. Krasner’s alarmist warnings lack factual grounding, serving more as campaign-driven hypotheticals than substantiated security concerns.
Krasner’s events also often include strong statements about supposed Republican hostility to civil rights and women’s rights. However, the actual numbers challenge these assertions. In both Trump administrations, approximately a third of Cabinet and Cabinet-level appointments were women, including trailblazers such as Susie Wiles — the first female White House chief of staff. Notably, the second Trump term saw eight out of 24 top roles filled by women (33.3 percent), a substantial figure for the Republican Party that directly refutes Krasner’s claims.
While Krasner and other progressives frame Republicans as a party that marginalizes women, records show that it’s the GOP, and not Democrats, that has made significant achievements in electing women to leadership roles since 1995. In 2024, a record thirteen female governors were elected across the country. This signals increasing female representation in prominent state and executive offices. The rise of Republican women leaders challenges the narrative of GOP exclusion and exposes the exaggerations in recent Krasner statements about women’s rights and representation.
As the abortion issue continually polled in the Democratic party’s favor, it makes sense that Krasner is bringing out false claims about Republicans and women at his events; however, his repeated claims that Republicans lag in female leadership are demonstrably false when compared with real-world data.
Krasner’s anti-Trump talking points often obscure the actual record of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. While he claims high conviction rates for shootings and homicides, independent fact checks and DAO statistics show a far more complicated story. Recent figures indicate an impressive trial-ready conviction rate for homicide shootings (92 percent) and non-fatal shootings (82 percent) for 2024, but these statistics mask that up to 57 percent of all violent-crime cases and 46 percent of firearms cases are withdrawn or dismissed.
While Krasner claims to have a high conviction rate while drastically reducing the jail population, the real story is that his office dismissed or withdrew over half the cases brought by law enforcement before the cases they try are tabulated. Worse, he has hid this scheme for years, often stonewalling journalists like BigTrial’s Ralph Cipriano at press conferences while ignoring open records requests. It is this lack of transparency that was at the center of a $120,000 fine issued by Common Pleas Court Judge Anne Marie Coyle last week.
Philadelphia continues to struggle with serious crime. While homicides have dropped by 16.6 percent compared to last year and nearly 60 percent since 2022, other violent crimes, including aggravated assault and car theft, remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels. Recent incidents, including shootings of children and persistent violence in neighborhoods like Hunting Park and Cobbs Creek, highlight ongoing public safety challenges despite the statistical improvements.
While Krasner focuses on anti-Trump rhetoric and hypothetical federal interventions, Judge Pat Dugan has been actively campaigning on concrete strategies to fight crime. Dugan’s public outreach emphasizes geographical prosecution, community accountability, and prioritizing victims and public safety. His plan includes holding violent offenders fully accountable, expanding diversion programs for first-time and low-level offenders, and restoring community courts.
Dugan’s approach stands in contrast to Krasner’s politicized messaging. If local Republicans mobilize their base, and union-affiliated or moderate Democrats grow weary of Krasner’s progressive rhetoric and perceived failure to address crime, Dugan has a credible path to upset the incumbent DA and return Philadelphia to a law-and-order focus.
Krasner’s recent events rely on speculative warnings about Trump deploying the National Guard, alongside misleading attacks on Republican civil and women’s rights positions. Real data reveals significant female leadership within the GOP, especially under Trump. Krasner’s campaign of distraction obscures persistent challenges in prosecuting violent crime, while Dugan’s campaign directly addresses Philadelphia’s safety concerns.
The upcoming election may hinge not on national political dog whistles, but on the city’s appetite for real justice, accountability, and leadership at the local level.
