Manhattan now has its first Black district attorney after Alvin Bragg emerged victorious in the race on Tuesday.  

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According to The New York Times, the 48-year-old former federal prosecutor campaigned on a pledge to balance public safety with fairness. Bragg beat out seven other Democratic candidates for the position earlier in the year.  

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Bragg’s office will handle high-profile cases, including an investigation into former President Donald Trump and his family’s business. The office also has a record of prosecuting Black defendants at a disproportionate rate.  

On the campaign trail, Bragg spoke about his personal experience growing up as a Black man in New York. He said he would be lenient on individuals who commit low-level crimes and he’s discussed the importance of holding police and prosecutors accountable, The New York Times reported.  

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Bragg will now work closely with the newly elected mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD police captain, but the two disagree on specific plans. While Adams wants to restore the NYPD’s department for plainclothes officers focusing on anti-crime, Bragg does not support it.  

As Democrats seek to balance the criminal justice system around the country, Bragg’s victory is a win for the party and he knows how serious the job is. “We have been given a profound trust tonight,” Bragg said. “The fundamental role of the district attorney is to guarantee both fairness and safety.”  

When his term begins, Bragg plans to handle gun violence in the city and getting people out of jail in what he calls a “humanitarian crisis” on Rikers Island.  

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