John Walsh, one of Colorado’s former top federal prosecutors, is running for Denver district attorney in 2024, jumping into a crowded field of Democratic candidates seeking to succeed Beth McCann.
Walsh, 62, confirmed his plans to The Denver Post ahead of an announcement Thursday. He served as U.S. attorney for the District of Colorado for six years under President Barack Obama before stepping down in 2016 to return to private practice.
While in that role, he helped lead a case against Citigroup Inc. that netted a $7 billion settlement in relation to the bank’s role in the 2008 mortgage crisis.
Walsh dipped his toe in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate before John Hickenlooper entered that race and won the seat in 2020. He also worked as a partner in the Denver office of law firm WilmerHale.
Now he wants to take over as the city’s top prosecutor at what he views as a pivotal time.
“It’s hard to see a city I love so much struggling a bit right now with questions of public safety,” Walsh said. “Looking at the sort of the mix of issues — none of which are easy to address — I decided that this was a place where I could really contribute to the future of the city.”
He’ll have lots of competition for the Democratic nomination, which will be decided in the primary election next June. That election is likely to decide who wins the office in November. So far, no Republicans have joined the race in the deep blue city, according to campaign finance records.
Candidates already in the pool include Leora Joseph, the director of the state’s Office of Behavioral Health. Joseph is a former chief deputy district attorney for the state’s 18th Judicial District and chief of staff to former Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman. As of Wednesday, Joseph’s campaign had brought in more than $114,000 in contributions, according to state records.
Other competitors include prisoner rights attorney Lisi Owen and Matt James, a chief deputy district attorney in McCann’s office. James on Wednesday released his campaign platform, which includes using data from past cases to establish an evidence-based system for future prosecutions. Owen has raised a little under $12,000 to date and James $3,720.
Zach McCabe is an assistant district attorney under McCann who is dropping out of the race to endorse Walsh. While the two men say no promises are attached to the endorsement, McCabe and Walsh share values and hope to work closely together should Walsh be elected.
“His long service to public safety and commitment to fairness and equity have made me certain that he is the right person for this job right now,” McCabe said in an interview with The Post. “Also, I’m confident he can win this election.”
With three children who graduated from Denver’s East High School, recently the center of high-profile instances of gun violence including the shooting death of student Luis Garcia earlier this year, Walsh said violent crime is his top priority.
“Protecting the community is the first job of a district attorney and that’s where we’ve got to focus our attention,” he said. “What does that mean? It means having swift, certain and fair consequences for people who contribute to violent crime.”
McCann announced in July that she would not seek a third term in office. The winning candidate in the November 2024 general election will succeed her in January 2025.
Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.
