Digital ads circulated by Republicans focus on keeping city crime out of Bucks County.
In the races for Bucks County sheriff and district attorney, Republicans are campaigning on keeping crime in Philadelphia out of Bucks County.
Digital ads circulated for the races tell voters to “keep Philly crime out of Bucks County.”
District Attorney Jen Schorn and Sheriff Fred Harran are the GOP incumbents that will be facing off against respective Democratic challengers, Joe Khan and Danny Ceisler.
“We’re letting anarchy take over our country in certain places, and that’s not something we want in Bucks,” said Pat Poprik, chair of the Bucks County Republican Party.
Schorn is a veteran prosecutor who is running for a full term as district attorney after being appointed to the position last year.
Harran is the incumbent Republican sheriff, who has sought partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Republican candidates have focused on Bucks County being safe but surrounding areas struggling with crime that could impact the county.
The GOP ads warn of policies that would be pursued by Khan and Ceisler, including “releasing criminals without bail” and “giving sanctuary to violent gang members.”
Schorn has said politics have never played a role in her prosecutorial decisions, and that her mission is “simply to get justice.”
Schorn has been a prosecutor in Bucks County since 1999. She handled some of the county’s most high-profile cases and led the formation of a task force for internet crimes against children.
“This has been my life’s mission, prosecuting cases here in Bucks County, the county where I was raised. I didn’t do it for any notoriety. I didn’t do it for self-promotion. I did it because it’s what I went to law school to do,” said Schorn.
Harran served as Bensalem’s public safety director for decades before running for sheriff in 2021. He partnered with ICE, and his decision was supported by a Bucks County judge after a legal challenge.
“Being Bucks County Sheriff isn’t a position you can learn on the job. For 39 years, I’ve woken up every day focused on keeping our communities safe,” he said in a recent email.
His decision to partner with ICE was met with pushback, but Harran maintains that his decision was not a political one.
“I’m a cop who ran to keep being a cop. This isn’t about politics for me – it’s about doing everything I can to keep my community safe,” he said.
