Hochman’s Victory: The End of Gascón’s Dangerous Gamble on LA’s Safety

Los Angeles County just dropped the gavel: George Gascón is out. After years of skyrocketing crime, disillusionment, and distrust among millions of residents which resulted in two recall attempts, Angelenos have had enough. In his reelection, incumbent District Attorney George Gascón suffered a landslide defeat by former US Assistant Attorney General Nathan Hochman. Hochman, a career prosecutor with an illustrious resumé and an even stronger background of community involvement in LA, has turned a page in this county to a future of sanity, justice, and frankly, common sense.

Under the last four years of Gascón’s administration, Los Angeles County’s public safety was not only the world’s laughing stock and a common conservative punching bag, but also became a case study in what happens when ideology trumps accountability. Blanket policies, no questions asked. Sentencing enhancements? “Pass.” Victims’ rights? Hard to find. Instead of tailoring justice, Gascón’s reforms were one-size-fits-all. His sweeping directives on Day One, which included barring prosecutors from charging 13 specific misdemeanors, applying sentencing enhancements, requesting cash bail for misdemeanors, or attending parole hearings, left residents and victims such as Emma Rivas—whose son’s murderer failed to receive enhancements from Gascón—to wonder if their safety was a priority.

As crime increased by every metric all over the county, the ripple effects were just as ugly inside the Hall of Justice. Gascón faced not one, but two recall attempts, each driven in large part by leaders from minority communities who have borne the brunt of the violence, as well as his own deputy DA’s union, who voted by 98% to back them. Lawsuits against him piled up as his own deputy district attorneys accused Gascón of forcing them to sideline their professional judgment, often at the expense of justice. Morale hit rock bottom in the DA’s office, with long-time prosecutors feeling demoralized and sidelined. Veteran child abuse prosecutor and primary election candidate Jonathan Hatami put it bluntly: “He’s unwilling to bend. He’s unwilling to collaborate. He’s unwilling to meet with people who have experience to help him understand how things go. It’s absolutely shocking that we voted for somebody that has no experience in the job whatsoever.” When even the people in the trenches feel the system’s broken, it’s only a matter of time before the public catches on.

Enter Nathan Hochman, a new hope for a city that’s grown weary of the headlines — viral videos of shoplifting sprees, reports of violent crime surging, and residents feeling unsafe in their own neighborhoods. He has spent his career on both sides of the justice system—as a prosecutor and in private practice—giving him a well-rounded perspective that’s all too rare in public office. His platform was built on the principles of justice and accountability, speaking directly to a county worn out by years of unchecked crime and pro-criminal policies. Hochman’s victory represents a break from the chaos that many have come to associate with LA’s justice system under Gascón. For Angelenos who’ve watched these stories unfold, The sweeping victory Nathan Hochman delivered is a signal that safety is back on the agenda, that law and order won’t be brushed aside in favor of abstract ideals. He brings a promise that LA can turn the page and reclaim its communities, replacing the fear that’s crept into daily life with a renewed sense of security.

Hochman’s win isn’t just a victory for LA; it’s a resounding repudiation of Gascón’s failed social experiment. Gascón’s reign was built on the theory that sweeping, unchecked leniency would somehow produce safer, fairer communities—but Angelenos saw firsthand how this approach only widened the gap between policy and reality. By electing Hochman, voters have sent a clear message to district attorneys across the nation: criminal justice reform cannot ignore public safety. The experiment is over, and LA has chosen a future where justice serves everyone, not just in theory but in practice. As other cities watch LA’s pivot, Hochman’s win may well be the beginning of a broader shift back to common sense in criminal justice—a shift where reform and safety are in balance, and where justice genuinely serves the people.

Thank you, District Attorney-elect Nathan Hochman, for taking on a broken system with unwavering conviction and reminding us that real change doesn’t come from avoiding the hard truths, but facing them head-on.