Controversial Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is heavily favored to win re-election next year despite being seen as soft on crime — and critics say that could make New York City a laughing stock.
No Democrat has emerged thus far to challenge Bragg in the June 25 Democratic primary.
Republicans will field a credible candidate, said state GOP Chairman Ed Cox — but pundits predict that any GOP nominee will still face daunting odds in liberal Manhattan, even with Bragg’s reputation as being soft on quality-of-life and street crimes.
Some analysts added that New York will be a national joke if Bragg, who has been in office a turbulent three years, coasts to re-election.
“The Democrats have lost their minds,” veteran political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said of the DA’s supporters. “Bragg’s re-election will tell the rest of the country that New Yorkers are crazy and we don’t punish people who endanger police officers and citizens.”
Even in heavily blue California, fed-up voters tossed out lefty like-minded DAs: ex-San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin in 2022 and Los Angeles DA George Gascon and Alameda County prosecutor Pamela Price on Nov. 5.
“Even San Francisco has been normalized compared to New York,” Sheinkopf said.
Ken Frydman, a longtime rep for NYPD unions, said, “I’m tired of toothpaste being locked up at CVS.
“Alvin Bragg should have a Democratic primary opponent. San Francisco and Los Angeles voted out their soft-on-crime district attorneys. Manhattan should do the same.”
Bragg made national headlines by winning a criminal conviction against President-elect Donald Trump for fudging records in the Stormy Daniel hush money case. Trump and Republican allies argued it was a partisan prosecution, while Democrats hailed it
It remains to be seen whether the verdict will stick or be tossed with Trump returning to the White House on Jan. 20.
But Bragg’s prosecution of Trump all but assures his re-election among Manhattanites, a campaign strategist said.
“Regardless of what happens with the Trump convictions, DA Bragg bought himself a near guarantee of coasting to re-election among Democratic primary voters,” said consultant Jake Dilemani.
“It’s an asset.”
Bragg had drawn blowback immediately upon taking office when he issued a “Day One” staff memo directing prosecutors to drop some misdemeanor cases, not seek bail or prison time for most defendants and to downgrade certain felonies to misdemeanors.
Critics also slammed him for letting thugs who vandalized Columbia University in anti-Israel protests off scot-free, being slow-footed in addressing serial shoplifting and initially charging a bodega worker with murder for defending himself from a violent thug.
Bragg also drew intense criticism for letting some migrants free without bail after they attacked police officers in Times Square. He later indicted them.
In Manhattan, there have been 27,122 reported felony crimes this year through Nov. 10, up 16.9% from the same period in 2021 before Bragg took office, according to NYPD records reported by The Post on Sunday.
Under Bragg, rape has jumped 7.4% across Manhattan, robbery 8.9%, felony assault 16.8% and grand larceny 29.8%.
State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox vowed that there will be a “very good candidate” on the GOP line who will take on a “vulnerable” Bragg.
But Manhattan Democratic leader Keith Wright crowed that “Alvin Bragg has been a great DA.
“He’s been fair and judicious. He’s an authentic person,” said Wright, who dismissed the criticism — at least some of it coming from people who don’t reside in Manhattan — as “nothing but noise.”
Bragg appears eager to defend his record.
“Alvin Bragg is laser-focused on making Manhattan safer. Under his leadership shootings and murders are down double digits compared to 2021 and this week he announced the indictments of 30 gang members who terrorized upper Manhattan with violence and mayhem and were responsible for approximately 50 percent of shootings in Washington Heights and Inwood,” said Bragg campaign spokesman Ritchie Fife.
“He knows there is much more work to do and we are gratified by the support he’s received to continue to do his job from New Yorkers embracing his record of reducing gun violence, investing in mental health outreach, and delivering the safety we need and the fairness we deserve. He’s ready for the campaign ahead.”
His camp cited shootings in Manhattan are down 48% and murders are down 14% since 2021.
The Alvin Bragg for DA Committee has $1,088,334.32 cash on hand, according to his most recent July filing with the state Board of Elections.