With a year to go before the 2024 election, former U.S. Attorney John Walsh is entering the race to become Denver’s next district attorney.

He said he decided to run for the office because, as a Colorado native, “It’s hard to see us struggling after the pandemic. We have serious public safety challenges,” said Walsh.

He added that he has faith that Denver can overcome those problems because of the city’s strong community.

“Enforcement really depends on earning the trust of the people. That’s something I’ve spent my life doing and would be honored to do as Denver’s next DA,” he said.

Walsh served as Colorado’s U.S. Attorney from 2010-2016, appointed by President Obama, during which time he was the chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys focusing specifically on white collar crime. While in that role, he co-chaired efforts to combat securities fraud.

Walsh, 62, has most recently been in private practice as a partner at WilmerHale, where he co-chaired the firm’s Investigations and Criminal Litigation Practice, according to his news release announcing his candidacy.  He was Law Week Colorado’s Lawyer of the Year for 2023.

There are now officially four people running to replace Denver District Attorney Beth McCann, who announced in July that she would not seek re-election. McCann has not yet endorsed a candidate.

As Walsh steps into the race, Assistant Denver District Attorney Zach McCabe, who was also on the ballot, is dropping out and endorsing Walsh.

Still in the race to replace McCann are former civil rights attorney Lisi Owen, former 18th Judicial Deputy District Attorney Leora Joseph, who is now supervisor of the state’s Civil and Forensic Mental Health system, and Chief Deputy Denver District Attorney Matthew James.

Leading the pack in campaign funding, according to the Secretary of State’s office, is Joseph, who has raised $114,441, followed by $25,096 by Owen and then by James, who reported $3,720.

McCabe left the race after raising $31,850. There’s no word on what will happen to McCabe’s funds.

Mitch Morrissey, Denver district attorney from 2005-2017, beat Walsh and McCann in the 2004 primary, and is endorsing Walsh because “he understands that something drastically needs to be done to reverse this crime problem that we have in Denver.”

Morrissey added that Walsh “understands that the district attorney can take a leadership role in doing that instead of sitting on the sidelines and watching the crime rate go through the ceiling.”

When Walsh was U.S. Attorney, he and Morrissey worked together to track guns which got into the hands of felons.

“We would get guns down to the crime lab, get them in the data base and track the gun. Eventually, we would get to the shooter,” said Morrissey.

Walsh also has support from former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (also a former Denver DA) and former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

He grew up in Centennial and has lived in Park Hill with his wife and three children, who went to Denver Public Schools and graduated from East High School.