WOODLAND — A Yolo County prosecutor who announced his campaign for district attorney last month is dropping out of the race.
Larry Eichele cited personal reasons for ending his candidacy. Reached for comment Thursday, he referred to a recent Facebook post in which he wrote, “I have had some unforeseen events that have given me a different perspective on life.”
“I am terminating my campaign for DA because I no longer have the time or interest. At this point I need to focus on the special people in my life. Thank you all for your support.”
Eichele would have been the first candidate to challenge the seated district attorney, Jeff Reisig, since Reisig was first elected in 2006.
His platform focused on increasing efficiency within the District Attorney’s Office, which Eichele said has a pattern of “overzealous” charging and unreasonable plea-deal offers that send an inordinate number of cases to trial.
Reisig declined to comment on Eichele’s withdrawal from the race Thursday.
He stood by his record and accomplishments in a previous interview, noting that his office’s charging policy follows national prosecutorial standards.
“The facts of each case are thoroughly reviewed and we only charge those crimes which we believe we can prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt,” Reisig said, adding that when it comes to violent crimes, “we are admittedly tough, but fair.”
So far, there are no other contenders in the race, the filing period for which begins on Feb. 12. Election Day is June 5.
— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8048. Follow her on Twitter at @laurenkeene