This episode contains strong language.

This week, voters in San Francisco ousted Chesa Boudin, their progressive district attorney. The move was seen as a rejection of a class of prosecutors who are determined to overhaul the criminal justice system.

But what happened to Mr. Boudin can be seen as more the exception than the rule.

Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a national political reporter for The New York Times.

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Background reading: 

• By ousting Mr. Boudin, voters in San Francisco put an end to one of the United States’ most pioneering experiments in criminal justice overhaul.
• The progressive backlash in California has sent a signal about the potency of law and order as a political message in 2022.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.