Nathan Hochman has declared himself the winner of the Los Angeles County district attorney election after taking a big lead.
The former US assistant attorney general is ahead of incumbent George Gascon by more than 20 per cent and looks certain to win.
Hochman addressed his supporters in Beverley Hills about 9.30 on election night, using part of his speech to tell police they would no longer have their hands tied.
Nathan Hochman has declared himself the winner of the Los Angeles County district attorney election after taking a big lead
The former US assistant attorney general is ahead of incumbent George Gascon (pictured) by more than 20 per cent and looks certain to win
With about half the vote counted, he was up 62 to 38 per cent - ahead by almost 600,000 votes with an unassailable lead.
Gascon was elected in 2020 on a platform of reform and restorative justice, which conservative opponents blamed for increased crime and homelessness in LA.
He and criminology experts dispute this, but Hochman hammered him on it throughout the campaign to success in the polls.
While the final votes havent been tallied, all indications are the voices of the residents of LA County have been heard and theyre saying enough is enough of George [Gascóns] policies and they look forward to a safer future, he said.
More to come.