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

Active committees, campaign funds point to a possible 2023 run instead.

California Globe-

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. more