Statement from Jamarr Brown, Color Of Change PAC Executive Director, on the results of district attorney races across the country

Statement from Jamarr Brown, Color Of Change PAC Executive Director, on the results of district attorney races across the country

Color Of Change PAC is pleased to see that endorsed District Attorney candidates Shalena Cook Jones  (Georgia), Shalya Favor (Ohio), Michael O’Malley (Ohio), Monique Worrell (Florida), and Sean Teare (Texas) have won their elections. These hard-fought victories were made possible by Black voters nationwide as well as by our members, who worked hard to connect with voters and convey the vital importance of prosecutors to our everyday lives. Particularly in light of Trump’s victory, it is crucial that each of these newly elected candidates understands that engaging Black voters and fighting for racial justice isn’t just a one-off action on the campaign trail, but is an ongoing commitment to building racial equity.  Prosecutors are the most powerful single actors in the criminal justice system, and the election of these reform-minded prosecutors gives us much-needed hope for a more equitable future for the Black people in each of their communities.

We are disappointed to learn that endorsed District Attorney candidates George Gascón (California), Deborah Gonzalez (Georgia) and Andrew Warren (Florida) have lost their races. Given the power prosecutors possess, we know that when racial equity is not a priority, unscrupulous prosecutors will use their positions to target and attack the Black community. Unfortunately, the outcome of these elections represents a rejection of progressive values, and we must be ever more vigilant given the outcome of the presidential election to ensure Black people are protected against a criminal justice system that seeks to harm us. COC PAC will continue to fight for Black people in California, Georgia, Florida and nationwide to hold prosecutors accountable and ensure racial justice is not forgotten.