Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose first term began under fierce criticism from opponents for his approach to prosecuting low-level crimes, trounced two challengers in his first re-election bid.
With 90% of votes counted, Bragg picked up nearly 74% of more than 480,000 votes cast, giving him a comfortable win over Republican challenger Maud Maron and independent Diana Florence, according to The Associated Press.
“I love democracy. Folks turned out in historic numbers and they gave us the opportunity to serve again the best part of the best city in the world,” Bragg said during his victory speech at an Election Night watch party in Harlem. “They spoke specifically about having safety and fairness together.”
Bragg co-hosted the election party with Manhattan Borough President-elect Brad Hoylman, who won countywide by similar margins. The two progressives addressed their supporters flanked by Congressman Jerry Nadler, Local Assemblymembers Linda Rosenthal and Al Taylor and their respective spouses.
Bragg foregrounded the data point that shootings are down 68% since 2021, crediting his office’s use of “precision prosecutions and community investments” with the progress. Bragg also highlighted changes to his sex crimes and domestic violence practice, in which he created a special victims division and expanded survivor services and social worker staff.
He then held up a copy of the right-leaning New York Post from that day that found transit crime and shootings had reached all-time lows in 2025 to laughter from his supporters.
“In case for some reason you don’t trust my stats. This is the Post so you don’t think I’m making it up. And the headline from today, election day, states… shootings, subway crime, all time low,” Bragg said
His tenure began much rockier than his victory lap. Weeks after Bragg took office in 2022, the newly minted DA took heat over a memo he issued directing staffers not to prosecute certain types of cases or seek bail or prison time in others, with a focus on violent crime — which led to some criticism of being soft on crime overall. He has also supported closing Rikers Island as well as an added focus on mental health.
“What these voters are saying is we care about that moral compass,” said Taylor, a prominent Bragg supporter, at the election party.
Maron won 20.6% percent of votes cast by Manhattan residents and Florence won 5.5% percent.
Maron had built her political standing as an education activist on Manhattan’s Community Education Council District 2, where last year she helped pass a resolution challenging the city Department of Education policy protecting the right of transgender students to participate in sports according to their gender identity. The resolution drew public rebuke from local elected officials and was eventually rescinded.
Florence, a practicing sports attorney, ran on her own ballot line four years after she ran against Bragg as a Democrat in the 2021 primary. She had spent over two decades in the Manhattan DA’s office, before she resigned following allegations she withheld evidence under Bragg’s predecessor Cy Vance.
Across the East River, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, who ran unopposed, was elected to a third term.
