Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner wins reelection for second term, AP reports

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- In the race for Philadelphia District Attorney, Larry Krasner has won reelection for a second term, according to the Associated Press.

When he took the stage to declare victory, Krasner had a lead of more than 50,000 votes. He said that is more than enough proof that the city approves of his progressive agenda.

Krasner also added his victory was thanks to his approach to criminal justice reform, saying, "It's a movement that has been led by Black and brown and broke people, and progressives."

He says his next term will be about expanding on his agenda: focusing on the most serious crimes and criminal justice reform.

Krasner's Republican challenger, Chuck Peruto, admitted he didn't speak to enough people on the campaign trail.

"Obviously, the majority of the citizens approve of what he's doing. I spoke to many people that were telling me they don't approve, but obviously, I didn't speak to enough people, and man I thought I spoke plenty," said Peruto.

Peruto went on to say, "I want to congratulate him. He beat my pants off."

Voters in Philadelphia also reelected their city controller.

Incumbent Rebecca Rhynhart ran unopposed, successfully securing a second term with more than 99% of the vote.

In nearby Delaware County, a court order allowed the county three extra days to accept and tabulate any of the approximately 5,500 ballots that a vendor mailed later than expected, as long as they were postmarked before polls closed.

Election officials otherwise reported no significant problems while turnout was expected to hit 25% to 30% of registered voters.

Republicans won a marquee race for a seat on the state Supreme Court that nevertheless will not change the Democrats' majority on the state's high court.

Amid light turnout around the state, Republican Kevin Brobson beat Democrat Maria McLaughlin to serve a 10-year term on Pennsylvania's highest court.

Brobson, 50, a judge for more than a decade on the lower statewide Commonwealth Court, will replace the outgoing Republican Justice Thomas Saylor, who has hit the mandatory retirement age of 75.

In recent years, Brobson has handled key cases on guns and elections, including penning a congressional redistricting decision that was promptly overturned by the Democratic-majority Supreme Court in 2018.

He will join a court that has been at the center of major political disputes in the past year and a half, handling cases over the hotly contested 2020 presidential election as well as the legality of how Gov. Tom Wolf used his authority to respond to the global pandemic.

Democrats will keep a 5-2 majority on the court.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.