Despite challenges to his progressive ideas, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon was victorious in the runoff vote in the primary race.

Gascon is set to compete against former Attorney General Nathan Hochman this November as Los Angeles voters will test Gascon’s loosened criminal penalties in addition to other progressive policies. With 11 candidates running, the race was crowded, but Gascon secured one-fifth of the vote.

“Tonight, three-quarters of Angelenos rejected George Gascon and said enough is enough of playing politics with our communities’ safety. The Golden Age of Criminals is coming to an end,” Hochman posted on X following his second-place finish. “The fight to take back Los Angeles County from criminals begins tonight and continues to November 5.”

Gascon was sworn in as Los Angeles district attorney in 2020 in the wake of many blue cities’ switch to more progressive criminal justice reforms. He beat incumbent Jackie Lacey, who faced criticism for her close ties to the police union and refusal to prosecute police officers accused of misconduct. He argued against California’s “tough on crime” laws dating back to the 1990s, which he said did not improve public safety.

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In his 2020 campaign, he promised not to seek the death penalty, not to charge juveniles as adults, and to prosecute peace officers who kill suspects.

During his time in office, Gascon has faced two recall attempts over his policies as violent and property crime rose in his first year. He held on to his position though, unlike former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who was ousted from his seat during a recall attempt in 2022.