Ramirez, McKinney Endorse Nathan Hochman …And Not Their Boss DA George Gascon

A pair of Los Angeles deputy district attorneys who ran for the top job in the March primary are now backing their boss’s challenger in the November vote.

Deputy District Attorneys John McKinney and Maria Ramirez announced this week that they are supporting challenger Nathan Hochman over incumbent DA George Gascon.

To drive home how many residents feel unsafe, the announcement was made at Compton’s iconic Ruben’s Bakery & Mexican Food, a family-owned business for over 48 years that was nearly destroyed by a mob of looters in January 2024. The criminals intentionally crashed a stolen car into the entrance of the store and then stole food, merchandise and the store’s cash registers.  The incident has become a prime exemplar of Gascon’s failure as a district attorney, opponents have said.

 “In Nathan Hochman, we have a candidate who understands the balance required in ensuring public safety – being unyielding in the face of violent crime, while adopting a compassionate and proportional approach to non-violent offenses,” McKinney said. “His approach aligns with my belief that the role of the District Attorney is not just about enforcement but also about community empowerment and meaningful crime prevention programs. Nathan’s leadership will mark a significant shift towards a more balanced, fair and rehabilitative justice system.”

Ramirez agreed, saying Hochman will improve the seriously demoralized DA’s office and get it back to its core mission: keeping the community safe.

“I wholeheartedly support Nathan Hochman for District Attorney and urge the voters of L.A. County to join me,” Ramirez said. “Nathan is a person of character who will put the safety of all of our communities at the forefront of his administration.  I am especially heartened by the interest he has shown in the well-being of the District Attorney’s workforce and his commitment to working with prosecutors instead of against us.  I am ready to stand by Nathan as we work to improve the criminal justice system while keeping Angelenos safe from crime.”

In the March primary, Ramirez finished sixth out of the twelve candidates with 7% of the vote.  McKinney was right behind Ramirez at seventh with 6% of the vote.

During the campaign, Ramirez, a long time veteran of the DA’s office,  focused on her years of managerial experience while McKinney ran in large part on his hardscrabble personal history and his high-profile convictions, like that of the murderer of noted rapper and community icon Nipsey Hussle.

“It was clear to me during the campaign that John McKinney and Maria Ramirez, two of the D.A. Office’s most talented prosecutors, are devoted to pursuing justice for crime victims, something that Gascon is actively preventing his prosecutors from doing. I am very honored to have their support of my campaign,” Hochman said. “We are building a broad coalition of supporters who will help me prevail in November, rebuild the office’s relationship with law enforcement, and restore public safety in Los Angeles County.  This election will not be about politics, but about who will keep L.A. County residents safe over the next four years.  Gascon has failed in this mission.  Working with John and Maria and the dedicated prosecutors and investigators of the D.A.’s Office, I will succeed.”

If the current polling holds true, Martiez and McKinney will almost certainly get their wish.  In a recent survey done by the Hochman campaign, he is leading Gascon by 21 points – 44% to 23% with the rest, about one-third, still undecided.

In general, a majority of undecided voters tend to end up voting for challengers and that almost certainly hold true for this race as only 18% of LA county voters have a favorable view of Gascon against 47% disliking him and the job he has done since taking office in 2020.

Election day is November 5 – it can’t come soon enough.