Local lawyer Timothy Shugrue has knocked off first-term Berkshire County District Attorney Andrea Harrington in Tuesday’s Democratic primary — meaning the office is line for its fourth DA since 2018.
Shugrue capped off his campaign with a sizable victory, likely spelling the end for Harrington, who swept into office on a reform platform in 2018 against DA Paul Caccaviello and Judith Knight following the surprise retirement of longtime DA David Capeless earlier that year.
Shugrue, who said during the campaign that Harrington was too inexperienced for the role, said Harrington called to concede Tuesday and pledged to work together on a transition. Shugrue said the results showed people wanted change, and reiterated a campaign message that he is the one to rebuild relationships between the office and law enforcement agencies. He also said he was heeding the call of local business owners who want to see the return of prosecution of low-level crimes like shoplifting that Harrington’s office stopped.
Shugrue denied Harrington’s claims during the campaign that such an approach reinforces systemic racism and punishes poverty. Harrington said she had brought the work of the Berkshire DA’s office up to modern standards.
Shugrue said he could be both a compassionate and tough prosecutor, marrying reform with a crackdown on quality of life offenses.
Meantime, Berkshire County Sheriff Tom Bowler fended off a Democratic primary challenge from Alf Barbalunga Tuesday. Bowler, who is finishing up his second six-year term, came out on top in a bruising campaign against the Chief Probation Officer of the Southern Berkshire District Court. No Republican is running for county sheriff.
