HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) —  As abc27’s prime-time Pennsylvania Attorney General Democratic Debate began Tuesday night, each candidate was asked about their qualifications to hold the office.

Former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan addressed why he believes statewide voters should vote for him after he lost a District Attorney race to Larry Krasner in Philadelphia.

“I’ve lived in Pennsylvania my whole life. Election after election, the Republicans have won the Attorney General race. Only two Democrats have won it because they have painted the Democratic nominee as being soft on crime, being a career politician who can’t be trusted to keep Pennsylvanians safe,” Khan said.

Khan cited his past work as the Bucks County Solicitor and as a local and federal prosecutor as qualifications for the Attorney General’s office.

“I’m not only the most qualified person to run for this office, we are closing the enthusiasm gap the Democrats all across Pennsylvania. We are going to win the AG’s office and we’re going to elect Democrats up and down the ballot,” he said

Pennsylvania Attorney General Democratic Debate

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, who boasts a 40% reduction in the county’s prison population, addressed some critics’ claims that what he touts as an accomplishment is actually dangerous.

Stollsteimer says critic’s claims are “completely wrong.”

“What we’ve done in Delaware County is balance criminal justice reform with public safety,” he said.

“When I first ran for DA four years ago [Delaware County] had the only privately run prison in Pennsylvania. I led the effort to deprivatize that. Nobody is making a profit just simply for incarcerating our people in Delaware County anymore. We’re investing those profits in the people who are incarcerated there and the people who work there,”

He said he’s reduced the prison population by keeping low-level offenders out of the criminal justice system and getting them the help they need to stay out of the system.

Stollsteimer also boasted a reduction in gun violence in Chester by bringing the community and law enforcement together.

Poll: Who won the Pennsylvania Attorney General Debate?

Former Philadelphia Chief Public Defender Keir Bradford-Grey addressed concerns that her background as a public defender is a completely different skillset than what’s needed for the role of the state’s top prosecutor.

“I’m running to be the people’s lawyer, and that’s what the Attorney General is in every other state other than Pennsylvania,” she said. “It is one that protects people at their very basic needs and it makes sure that not only do we take care of the people that are harming people on the street corners, but we go after people in the board room. My vantage point allows me to bring more people in the protections of that office and my legal acumen allows me to do it well.”

Bradford-Grey said her background shows she has what it takes to go after “well-resourced systems” and to target crime “fair and final.”

If she is elected, it would be the first time in state history that a public defender is elected as Attorney General.

Bradford-Grey also added that she would use the role of Attorney General to protect Pennsylvanian women’s reproductive rights.

“One of the things that I want to do is make sure I show that no one can fight for a woman better than a woman,” she said.

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This Week in Pennsylvania

Former Auditor General and State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2020 to Scott Perry, addressed some critics’ concerns that he is a professional office-seeker.

“I’ve run statewide twice, I’ve won twice, including once when (Donald) Trump was on the ballot. Why was I able to win? Because people know my record of fighting for Pennsylvania,” he said

DePasquale named his past accomplishments including finding over 3,000 untested rape kits and 58,000 unanswered phone calls at the child abuse hotline, as proof that he is qualified for the Attorney General’s office.

“People know I’ve got the spine to take on big corporations, big insurance companies, and to run complex investigations. And that’s what I’ll do as your Attorney General,” he said.

State Rep. Jared Solomon is not only running for Attorney General but also for his State House seat in Philadelphia. He responded to many good government activists’ claims that candidates should only run for one office.

“I love serving my neighborhood. We’ve taken my community and we’ve brought it back. It was a neighborhood that had been left behind, forgotten, like so many neighborhoods… I want to continue the work both in my community and I’ll be able to do that on a bigger level by ensuring safety and security not just in northeast Philadelphia but throughout our Commonwealth.”

Solomon said his background working to improve his own neighborhood and his work as a state representative qualifies him for the position of Attorney General.

“I was raised in a working-class neighborhood, decided to take on corrupt politicians to make my neighborhood better. I then went to Harrisburg, took on special interests and wrote tough ethics laws and protected us from Trump Republicans who were threatening our abortion and voting rights,” he said.

abc27 will also host the Pennsylvania Attorney General Republican debate on Thursday, March 14. The debate will broadcast and stream across the Commonwealth at 7 p.m.

Attending that debate will be York County District Attorney Dave Sunday and Republican Pennsylvania State Representative Craig Williams.

abc27 to host Pennsylvania Attorney General Republican debate

The 2024 Pennsylvania Attorney General election will be held on Nov. 5, 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.