Exclusive: Forward Party endorses Pat Dugan for Philly DA
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Photo: Courtesy of the Dugan campaign
Andrew Yang's Forward Party is endorsing Pat Dugan for Philadelphia district attorney.
Why it matters: It's notable that a national group is pouring resources into the local race between Dugan and incumbent Larry Krasner so close to Election Day, especially given the dynamics.
Driving the news: Dugan's campaign exclusively told Axios the centrist coalition will provide on-the-ground canvassing, phone banking and additional media support.
The big picture: The former municipal court judge's campaign has been relatively quiet since accepting the Republican nomination in August to run as an "independent Democrat" against Krasner in the Nov. 4 election.
- Krasner, who's seeking a third term, soundly defeated Dugan in the May Democratic primary. But Dugan received enough write-in votes in the GOP's primary to secure a rematch against his progressive opponent thanks to a loophole in Pennsylvania election law.
Zoom in: Since then, Dugan has raised just a fraction of the contributions that he hauled in during the primary.
- After doubling back on a campaign promise that he wouldn't accept the GOP nomination, Dugan lost the support of the city's powerful building trades union, which is now backing Krasner in the general election, per the Inquirer.
What they're saying: The party's endorsement "sends a clear message that I am the middle-of-the-road candidate who embodies the unity our city needs," Dugan tells Axios in a statement.
- "This race isn't about politics for me. I'm running for all Philadelphians ... to bring safety, fairness, and justice to our great city."
Kayla Berube, the Forward Party's national political director, says in a statement that Dugan's core values are aligned with their push for "commonsense leadership that puts people and communities ahead of party labels."
Reality check: The group's endorsement is unlikely to sway voters, many of whom have already made up their minds about the candidates at this stage in the race, Randall Miller, St. Joe's professor emeritus and political commentator, tells Axios.
Yes, but: Jumping into a local race shows Yang's group wants to be an influential "player" in all types of elections.
- "You want the governor's mansion, but you also want the school boards," Miller says.
Flashback: Yang established the Forward Party in 2021, following his unsuccessful run in the Democratic presidential primary the year before.
- He has said the group is intended to give voters an alternative to the "creaking duopoly" of the two-party system.
- Last month, the party endorsed more than two dozen political candidates in races in 10 states.
The other side: Krasner's campaign didn't respond to Axios' request for comment.