Ousted SF DA Chesa Boudin Announces He Won’t Run for DA in 2022

Recently recalled San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced via Twitter on Thursday that he will not be running for DA in 2022.

Since being recalled by a large majority in June of 2022, Boudin has been hinting at another run for office. In particular, he noted fear that the person who would replace him would undue many of the criminal justice reform and progressive policies he implemented in the two-and-a-half years he served as DA, the same ones that had led to a rise in crime and fewer criminals being prosecuted that led to his ousting.

“A lot of my supporters and endorsements and donors and Democratic clubs that were behind me are urging me to run now, or in 2023,” said Boudin in late June. “I’m committed, as I always have been my entire life, to doing the work to support our communities, to fight for a fairer system of justice. There are better ways to solve the problems we’re facing in San Francisco. I’m committed to continuing to work on developing those solutions.”

“My fear is that the person appointed with no mandate, having not gone through the traditional vetting of a normal election where they’re asked for a specific policy commitment, will not publicly reverse course, but instead quietly, slowly undermine the work that we’ve done these last 2½ years.”

However, Boudin’s fears were realized in July when Mayor London Breed picked Brooke Jenkins as the next DA of the city. In less than a month in the position, she has reversed many of Boudin’s policies, fired many who were brought into the DA’s office as part of Boudin’s team, and has made a marked effort to go after crime and drug dealers in the city. While Jenkins has had detractors, these moves have been received as mostly positive and put a major damper on hopes that Boudin could easily coast back in later in the year.

With Boudin still having the stigma of being recalled, many of his policies being removed to overall public support, and personally acknowledging many family issues that have come up, the former DA announced on Thursday that he would not be running for office in 2022.

Boudin bows out for 2022

In a long series of tweets, Boudin stated that “Over the past weeks I’ve spoken to family, friends, supporters and everyday San Franciscans about how we can best continue to make our criminal justice system fairer and more effective. I have devoted my public life to this effort because it makes our communities stronger & safer. I’ve also taken stock of the burden that more than three years of nearly non-stop campaigning placed on my family. I’m committed to criminal justice reform; I’m also committed to my family.

“My son is on the verge of taking his first step and speaking his first word. My wife’s research on Multiple Sclerosis at UCSF deserves the same support she has offered my work. My elderly father just came home from prison after more than 40 years. My father faces the myriad challenges those returning from incarceration encounter: housing, healthcare, employment, and more. My mother died in May and I have not had time to clean out her apartment or plan her memorial or even mourn her death.

“I am choosing to put my family first: I will not be running for office in 2022.”

I am choosing to put my family first: I will not be running for office in 2022.

— Chesa Boudin 博徹思 (@chesaboudin) August 4, 2022

“We made a lot of progress in a short period of time,” Boudin continued. “I am particularly proud of our significant expansion of victims services, including new programs to serve our AAPI community and the appointment of the first-ever multilingual Chinese American Victim Services Chief, our resentencing work that offered second chances to those who had caused harm and supported victims, our restorative justice work, our focus on accountability through behavioral health treatment, our Innocence Commission’s exoneration of a wrongly-convicted man, our innovative program tackling auto burglary fencing operations, our creation of a worker protection unit, our litigation against manufacturers of ghost guns, and our historic strides in police accountability.

“All that we did was only possible because of an amazing, dedicated, committed staff and base of support in the community. I am forever grateful and inspired by you! That work was just beginning; I had hoped it would become the foundation for continued progress. Instead, I am gravely concerned by what I’ve seen from the current, appointed District Attorney. We have heard no assurances that the successful programs we’ve implemented will continue, and indeed, we see worrying signs every day as progress is rolled back.

“I join the vast majority of San Franciscans in urging our elected—or, as is increasingly common, appointed—leaders to work for equal justice, evidence-based reforms, and improved services for victims. I know this news will come as a disappointment to many who are dedicated to reform. I assure you I remain deeply committed to justice and to the people of San Francisco.”

Political experts in the area noted that while Boudin may not run this year, he hasn’t ruled out running for offices in the next few years.

A likely Boudin run in 2023 or 2024

“Boudin still has way too much baggage to make another successful run for office,” explained Bay Area political issue consultant Hannah Reed to the Globe on Thursday. “He made many decisions that led to a huge increase in crime, he was recalled for it, and his replacement is getting praise for her work in getting rid of a lot of what he put into place.”

“And it also sounds like some of those family issues are legitimate. His dad, who was a terrorist with the Weather Underground who had multiple murder and robbery charges, is getting back into society, and he is still struggling with recent deaths, a busy wife, and a young son. He probably needs a breather too.”

“But it isn’t the last we’ve seen of him. He still has significant support in the city. Plus, he hasn’t ruled out future elections, which there are many of which happening in the city in 2023 and 2024 he may want a go at. He’s also hoping that either people begin to forget about what he did or being recalled, or that people will want progressive policies again if crime, homelessness, and drug use doesn’t go down. Basically, he is waiting right now for the heat to go down further.”

Many pointed out on Thursday that Boudin also has an active reelection committee for a 2023 run, stored donation funds, and has even filed paperwork intending to do so, making a 2023 run a major possibility.

“San Franciscans are on the road to recovery albeit a slow one, after the ousting of disgraced Chesa Boudin at the helm of the district attorneys office,” said Yes on Recall Chesa Boudin Committee member Richie Greenberg in a statement. “This morning Boudin announced on Twitter he would not run for the DA position this coming November, 2022, the announcement met with fanfare on social media. However, this does not address nor preclude a run in November, 2023. He filed candidacy paperwork for 2023. He has a reelection committee “Boudin for District Attorney 2023” open and active. Over the past two years, that committee has raised over $175,000 in donations and shows nearly $82,000 cash in bank.”

“We will not rest. We will not stop being vocal – against Chesa Boudin and his extreme narcissism, his cult of personality, his malicious policies, being unqualified for office of chief prosecutor, until he closes his reelection committee and leaves politics. San Francisco’s residents, business owners and visitors alike will not forgive nor forget this travesty of justice perpetuated under his reign.”

Boudin’s replacement, Jenkins, is expected to further reduce and reverse Boudin’s policies until at least the special DA election in November.