Community Agitator Ryan Thompson announces run for EBR DA

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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 rebuild trust between the community and the justice system," he said.

Thompson, a Democrat, has served in Baton Rouge's public defender's office and also pursued several prominent suits against the Baton Rouge Police Department through his civil practice, the Thompson Justice Institute.

He's recently represented plaintiffs suing the city-parish in separate cases involving the "BRAVE Cave," a now-shuttered interrogation facility where his clients allege police abused them.

In those cases, Thompson said he "witnessed firsthand the depth of the problems" within Baton Rouge's criminal justice system, in which he believes officers face "no real accountability," eroding the public's trust. 

"It’s clear that our parish needs fresh eyes, new ideas and a renewed commitment to fairness and safety for everyone," he said.

The 70-year-old Moore, also a Democrat, has not faced a challenger for the DA seat since his initial run in 2008, when he won with 74% of the vote over Republican Dan Claitor.

In a statement Tuesday, Moore did not directly address his challenger, but said he doesn’t own the six-year seat after 17 years in office. He said he welcomes voters’ review of his first three terms as he vies for a fourth.

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Thompson grew up in Inglewood, California, and graduated from high school in Compton, California He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Southern Utah University and a law degree from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge.

"Over the past year, many people have encouraged me to consider running for District Attorney to continue the work of bringing justice to families and restoring confidence in our system," he said. Thompson said the public can expect another formal announcement soon as he assembles a campaign team.

Thompson served as deputy campaign manager for Gary Chambers during a run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021. Chambers ran third in the primary with 21% of the vote. Chambers has long knocked Moore's decisions as DA, taking part in protests outside Moore's home in 2020, in which he criticized the DA for not charging law enforcement officers with crimes involving Black citizens. 

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