In a notable political comeback, Monique Worrell has secured her position as state attorney in Florida’s Orange and Osceola counties, following a contentious suspension by Governor Ron DeSantis. The reinstatement comes after a majority of 57% of voters in the 9th Judicial Circuit favored Worrell over Andrew Bain, DeSantis’s appointee. Tensions have been high since DeSantis accused Worrell of hindering prosecutors from pursuing mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes, a claim that propelled Worrell to turn to the courts for recourse, though the Florida Supreme Court sustained the governor’s actions, as CBS News Miami reports.
This development stands in stark contrast to Hillsborough County’s Andrew Warren, who fell short in his bid to reclaim his former role after also being removed by DeSantis. Warren, who faced accusations from DeSantis over his stance on social issues, was defeated by Republican Suzy Lopez, with approximately 52% of the vote in his district. According to the same source, this ousting and subsequent election shed light on the highly charged atmosphere surrounding the treatment of such prosecutors in the state.
Meanwhile, Florida Democrats have lauded Worrell’s election victory; Nikki Fried, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman, characterized her suspension as “a politically motivated stunt to virtue signal and score cheap points,” especially in the wake of DeSantis’s failed presidential campaign, according to CBS News Miami.
Florida’s political landscape echoes broader national patterns, where proponents of criminal justice reform encounter increasing resistance. The outcomes experienced by other progressive prosecutors across the country reveal a turn towards conservatism, with losses sustained by George Gascón in Los Angeles and Pamela Price in Oakland, as well as the prior recall of San Francisco’s Chesa Boudin, a fact noted by Law.com and reported by the ABA Journal. These events signify a growing impatience among voters with policies that are perceived to prioritize leniency over public safety.
In a lone, but significant, deviation from this trend, Fani Willis in Fulton County, Georgia successfully secured re-election. Not fitting neatly into the category of ‘progressive’ prosecutors, Willis has faced criticism from the left for her aggressive application of anti-racketeering and anti-gang laws. This noteworthy win comes after she proceeded with an indictment against former President Donald Trump linked to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, as reported by the ABA Journal.
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