Honestly, walking around Los Angeles lately feels different than it did two years ago. There’s this palpable sense of "what now?" hanging in the air. If you followed the district attorney Los Angeles election, you know exactly why. It wasn't just another local vote; it was a full-blown referendum on how we handle crime, punishment, and the very soul of the city.
People are still processing how Nathan Hochman—a guy who ran as an independent but carries a heavy federal prosecutor resume—managed to absolutely steamroll George Gascón. We’re talking about a 61.5% to 38.5% margin. That’s not a close race. That’s a landslide.
The Seismic Shift in 2024
You’ve probably heard the term "progressive prosecutor" tossed around a lot. Gascón was basically the poster child for that movement. When he won in 2020, he promised to end mass incarceration and stop seeking the death penalty. But by the time the 2024 election rolled around, the mood in LA had soured.
Smash-and-grab robberies became a nightly news staple. Fentanyl deaths started hitting every neighborhood, from the hills to the harbor. People felt less safe, regardless of what the "official" crime stats were saying at the time. Hochman leaned into that fear, but he did it cleverly. He didn't just scream "lock 'em all up." He called it the "hard middle."
Basically, his whole pitch was: "I’m not going back to the 1980s, but I’m definitely not staying here."
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Why Gascón Lost the Room
It’s kinda fascinating when you look at the breakdown. Gascón had the backing of the LA County Democratic Party and big labor unions. On paper, in a deep blue county, he should have been safe.
But he wasn't.
The reality is that his "blanket policies"—things like never filing sentencing enhancements for guns or gang involvement—drove his own deputy DAs crazy. They actually sued him. Think about that. The people supposed to carry out his vision were actively fighting him in court.
Nathan Hochman capitalized on that internal chaos. He raised over $10 million, dwarfing Gascón’s modest $1.2 million. When you have that much more cash to spend on ads while people are already frustrated about retail theft, the outcome is almost inevitable.
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What’s Changing Under Nathan Hochman?
Now that we’re into 2026, we’re seeing the actual fallout of that district attorney Los Angeles election. On day one, Hochman didn't waste time. He scrapped those blanket directives.
He basically told his prosecutors, "Look at the facts of the case." If someone uses a gun, they can now face those extra years in prison. If a crime is gang-related, that’s back on the table.
- Sentencing Enhancements: They’re back. Prosecutors have the discretion to use them again.
- Retail Theft: There’s a much more aggressive stance on "smash-and-grab" crews.
- Fentanyl: Hochman has pushed for "Alexandra’s Law" warnings—basically telling dealers that if they sell stuff that kills someone, they can be charged with murder next time.
- The Menendez Case: This was a weird one. Gascón recommended resentencing for the Menendez brothers right before he left. Hochman didn't just rubber-stamp it; he insisted on a full review of the files first.
The 2026 Context and Beyond
Even though the big DA seat isn't up for grabs this year (the next one isn't until 2028), the ripples of that 2024 election are everywhere in the June 2026 primary. You see it in the City Attorney race and the City Council battles. Everyone is trying to find that "middle ground" that Hochman used to win.
There’s even talk about whether Hochman will jump into the race for California Attorney General. He’s currently listed as a "potential" no-party-preference candidate. If he does, it would be a massive test of whether the "LA model" can work statewide.
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Is LA Actually Safer?
That’s the million-dollar question. You’ll hear different things depending on who you ask. Law enforcement unions, who backed Hochman heavily, say morale in the department is up. They feel like their arrests actually lead to consequences now.
On the other side, civil rights advocates are worried. They fear we’re sliding back into old patterns that disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities. They argue that Gascón’s policies were starting to address systemic issues that Hochman might ignore.
The truth? It’s probably somewhere in between. Crime hasn't vanished, but the "anything goes" vibe that some people felt has definitely shifted.
Actionable Insights for LA Residents
If you’re trying to keep up with how the district attorney Los Angeles election impacts your daily life, here is what you should actually do:
- Watch the Court Dockets: If you follow local news, look for how "sentencing enhancements" are being used in high-profile cases. This is the clearest indicator of the policy shift.
- Follow the Board of Supervisors: They control the budget for the DA’s office. If they clash with Hochman on funding, it affects how many prosecutors are actually in the courtrooms.
- Engage with Community Police Advisory Boards: Now that the DA’s office is more aligned with the LAPD and Sheriff’s Department, these meetings are where you can see how local crime-fighting priorities are changing.
- Prepare for 2028: It sounds far away, but the "Hochman era" is a trial run. Keep a mental (or literal) note of whether you feel safer in your neighborhood over the next two years.
LA is a complicated place. We want justice, but we also want safety. The 2024 election was a loud, messy, expensive attempt to find a balance between the two. Whether Nathan Hochman actually found it—or just shifted the pendulum too far the other way—is something we’re going to be arguing about for a long time.
Check your local precinct's crime stats via the LAPD or LASD portals to see if the policy changes are reflecting a drop in property crimes in your specific area. Data often tells a different story than headlines.