April 23, 2024
MICHAEL CANDELORI/for PhillyVoice
Pennsylvania's April 23 primary election for attorney general includes five candidates on the Democratic ballot and two on the Republican ballot.
In Tuesday's primary election for Pennsylvania attorney general, Democrat Eugene DePasquale and Republican Dave Sunday were each projected to win their parties' nominations to advance to the general election in November. The Democratic primary featured five candidates, while two Republicans were on the GOP ballot.
Polls closed at 8 p.m. and the results of both primaries are update below as vote totals become available. All results are unofficial until certified by election officials.
The attorney general serves as the state's top prosecutor, handling a wide array of investigations in addition to legal advocacy on behalf of the public in areas such as consumer protection, health care and civil rights.
The five candidates on the Democratic ballot were former auditor general DePasquale, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, attorney Joe Kahn, former Philadelphia public defender Keir Bradford-Grey and state Rep. Jared Solomon of Northeast Philadelphia.
The Associated Press called the race for DePasquale just after 10 p.m. with about 70% of votes counted.
After the race was called, DePasquale celebrated the victory and said he plans to take on "MAGA extremism" if elected in November.
It’s official, we are the Dem nominee for Attorney General! THANK YOU for trusting me to take on the fight against #MAGA extremism. This campaign is about every Pennsylvanian - to protect democracy, protect abortion rights, and stand up for working folks. https://t.co/mPUnxBmkTL pic.twitter.com/kw8ypLM5ny
— Eugene DePasquale (@DePasqualePA) April 24, 2024
On the Republican side, York County District Attorney Dave Sunday defeated two-term state Rep. Craig Williams, who serves parts of Delaware and Chester counties. The Associated Press called the race for Sunday just before 9:30 p.m. with about 30% of the vote counted.
In recent history, the role of attorney general has been a stepping stone for future governors. Republican Tom Corbett and Democrat Josh Shapiro each went on to become Pennsylvania's governor after serving two terms as attorney general. Current Attorney General Michelle Henry was appointed by Shapiro for state Senate confirmation to fill his role after he was elected governor in 2022. Henry opted not to run for the office.
This year's race has important implications for criminal justice in Philadelphia, where District Attorney Larry Krasner was the target of unsuccessful impeachment bid by Republicans in Harrisburg — including Williams, who was the GOP's lead House manager in that case, which was tossed out of Commonwealth Court before going to trial. Republicans have appealed the decision.
A Republican attorney general would be expected to further attempts to gain influence in Philadelphia in ways that challenge Krasner's authority. One looming question is the implementation of a state law to appoint a special prosecutor who would oversee some crimes that occur on or near SEPTA premises in Philadelphia. Krasner has filed a complaint to challenge the law, arguing it undermines Philadelphia voters who elected him twice, and Henry still has not appointed a special prosecutor in advance of this year's elections.
