Los Angeles County voters decisively removed District Attorney George Gascón from office on Election Day, opting for challenger Nathan Hochman by a sweeping margin of 61.5% to 38.5%. Although polls had anticipated a 25-point gap in the final weeks, the 22-point margin of victory confirmed strong public disapproval. As of Wednesday morning, 59.49% of the vote had been counted, leaving room for slight shifts but affirming a substantial lead for Hochman.
Once in office, Gascón implemented a series of policies aligned with those promoted by Soros-backed prosecutors nationwide: reducing sentences, ending cash bail, and proudly prioritizing leniency. His approach, however, sparked backlash from rank-and-file prosecutors and led to two recall efforts from county residents—the second failing only due to insufficient valid signatures.
Meanwhile, in Oakland, another Soros-backed prosecutor, Pamela Price, faced a close recall as of Wednesday morning. Additionally, California voters passed Proposition 36, an anti-crime initiative reversing parts of 2014’s Proposition 47, which had lessened penalties for certain crimes.
The pushback against “woke” criminal justice policies signals growing discontent, even among Democratic voters who otherwise backed figures like Vice President Kamala Harris. Hochman, a former federal prosecutor and former Republican candidate for California Attorney General, campaigned on the straightforward message, “Gascón must go!” With this victory, Hochman now aims to reverse Gascón's controversial policies.