Denver voters Tuesday elected former federal prosecutor John Walsh to be the Democratic nominee for district attorney, clearing the way for him to win the post in a November general election seen largely as a formality.
In the heavily Democratic city, no Republicans ran for the post and no independent candidates have qualified for the ballot so far.
Walsh previously served as the top U.S. attorney in Colorado from 2010 to 2016 under President Barack Obama’s administration.
He defeated Leora Joseph, a former prosecutor who is now the head of Colorado’s Office of Behavioral Health —the division that manages the state’s troubled mental health hospitals. She made mental illness treatment and diversion programs a key plank of her campaign.
Walsh received 58% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the city of Denver.
“I am so honored to have won the confidence of Denver voters, and am committed to working with the community to make Denver vibrant, safe and just for everyone,” Walsh told The Colorado Sun in an emailed statement.
In a Facebook post, Joseph expressed gratitude to her supporters, and offered praise for Walsh.
“DA Walsh will lead with integrity and Denver will be better for it,” Joseph wrote Wednesday. “I am excited to support him and all our great leaders as we all work to repair the world.”
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Walsh ran on reducing violent crime through a mix of targeted enforcement and youth programs. He has also called for expanding drug courts and probation programs to combat fentanyl use, and a task force to address car theft.
Following the 2020 election, he represented President Joe Biden’s campaign in court cases upholding his victory in Michigan.
Locally, he once served as vice chair of Denver’s Public Safety Review Commission, the police oversight board created in 1992 that was eventually replaced by today’s Citizen Oversight Board.
Brauchler wins in Colorado’s new judicial district
Former district attorney George Brauchler won the Republican primary to lead the prosecutor’s office in Colorado’s newly created 23rd Judicial District, which takes effect in January 2025.
Brauchler defeated Dagny Van Der Jagt, a former deputy district attorney who runs a law firm in Castle Rock. Brauchler won with 65% of the vote, according to unofficial results Wednesday.
He’ll face Democrat Karen Breslin, a political science professor, in the November general election in a heavily conservative district. Breslin ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
The new district covers Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties, separating them from Arapahoe County and what is currently the 18th Judicial District. It was created by the state legislature in response to population growth across the Denver suburbs.
If elected in November, Brauchler will reprise his former role from the existing 18th Judicial District, where he previously served two terms as district attorney, winning elections in 2012 and 2016.
In an interview with The Sun, Brauchler attributed his victory to his experience — both as a prosecutor of major crimes and as an administrator.
“I think the job is different and in many ways more challenging” than when he led the 18th District, Brauchler said, “because Colorado hasn’t had a new district attorney’s office in 60-plus years. There’s no playbook for it. There’s no one to ask for guidance.”
He also said the politics of the office will be different than when he last served as a district attorney. He’s likely to be the only Republican district attorney in the Denver metro area, he said, affecting his ability to influence the Democratic-led state legislature on criminal justice policies.
Van Der Jagt was among a slate of candidates endorsed by the right-wing state GOP to falter Tuesday night.
In a message to supporters on her Facebook page, she congratulated Brauchler and pledged to support him going forward.
“He ran a great race winning by a solid margin,” Van Der Jagt wrote. “Iron sharpens iron, and I believe we are both better for having competed.”
Brauchler is best known for leading the prosecution of the gunman in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting. He ran unsuccessfully for state attorney general in 2020.
