2-Term Republican DA Tom Hogan Drops Out Of Chester County Race

WEST CHESTER, PA — Two-term Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan has decided not to run for re-election this fall, he announced on Wednesday.

The Republican prosecutor said that his team had "accomplished everything we set out to achieve," and also cited a desire to spend more time with his family.

"That’s it," Hogan said in his statement. "No scandals. I am still happily married to my wife of 22 years and have two great kids. No back story. I am still the nerd who never even tried marijuana. Nope, I am just somebody recognizing that there is a time to leave public life."

The 2019 election comes on the heels of a historic 2018 election for Chester County area Democrats, which saw several local legislative seats that had been red for decades get flipped blue. Whether the 2019 election continues the "Blue Wave" trend in Chester County is yet to be seen, but the loss of the incumbent in the DA's race is doubtlessly a blow to GOP chances in what is normally a red county.

Running on the Democratic ticket is former Deputy District Attorney Deb Ryan. As a prosecutor under Hogan, Ryan put a child sex predator behind bars for a 339 to 690-year sentence, the longest in county history. She won her party's May primary handily.

"In light of the District Attorney’s announcement that he has withdrawn from the District Attorney’s race, I would like to thank him for his service to Chester County," Ryan said on Wednesday. "I wish him and his family well in this new chapter of their lives."

Given the results of the 2018 election, it seems likely that Hogan would have faced far stiffer competition from Ryan than he had in previous years. In 2015, for instance, Hogan soundly defeated Democrat Tom Purl, 50,177 to 33,452.

Hogan endorsed his First Assistant District Attorney, Michael Noone, to take his place on the Republican ticket. Noone accepted the recommendation and plans to run.

The 2019 election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.