Big city Democrats slow to recognize power of crime as top issue

Some local and state Democratic officials appear to be out of touch with the changing attitudes of voters regarding criminal justice reform. While national Democrats have shifted their stance on crime, these officials continue to support progressive criminal justice policies. For instance, one of Chicago’s Democratic mayoral candidates, Brandon Johnson, has maintained his support for such policies despite the apparent headwinds. His opponent, Paul Vallas, has taken a harder line on crime. Johnson has won more endorsements from various elected officials than Vallas, whose views fall more in line with those of the national Democratic Party.

There seems to be a significant rift between the approaches taken by congressional Democrats, who represent swing states and swing districts, and mayors of large cities, who may be more sympathetic to minorities and the victims of police violence. However, attitudes on criminal justice reform have shifted significantly in recent years, even in reliably liberal locales. For instance, Democratic voters in cities such as San Francisco and Baltimore have ousted their district attorneys over fears about rising crime rates.

In contrast, Atlanta voters elected a mayor who campaigned on adding more police officers to the streets and jailing gang leaders. The recent defeat of Lori Lightfoot in the Chicago mayoral primary was widely seen as an indication that the public had grown tired of the status quo on public safety. Nevertheless, some big-city Democrats remain supportive of progressive reforms, which briefly represented the party’s mainstream in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.

Critics argue that such policies have led to an increase in violence, as evidenced by District Attorney Larry Krasner’s approach in Philadelphia. He has doubled down on progressive criminal justice policies, which have resulted in a significant uptick in violence. State Republicans in Pennsylvania have sought Krasner’s impeachment. Similarly, in Portland, Oregon, county commissioners and the district attorney have been facing attack ads over their inability to curb rising crime rates.

Some mayoral races, such as those in Denver and Philadelphia, are revolving around which candidate can best restore a sense of safety. In the upcoming Denver mayoral election, candidate promises to restore safety and restore the rule of law are being closely scrutinized by voters.

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