Local attorney Ryan Thompson announced Tuesday he will challenge longtime East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore in the 2026 election.

In deciding to run, Thompson, 44, pointed to heightened crime rates in Baton Rouge during Moore's tenure and argued the justice system needs a fresh approach.

"Nothing matters more to me and more to voters than public safety. My family calls this community home," Thompson said. "The past 16 years have been the deadliest on record for the city of Baton Rouge."

Homicides peaked in Baton Rouge in 2021 at 149 but have since steadily declined, though recent numbers remain higher than the late 2000s and early 2010s.

"Despite the loss and pain so many families have endured, we’ve seen little in the way of new or innovative ideas to address crime or re

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