CBS News: Jim McDonnell Leads In Race For LA County Sheriff
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell looks poised for re-election.
McDonnell is running against retired sheriff's lieutenant Alex Villanueva. He was leading 58% to Villanueva's 42% shortly before 9 p.m. with 12% reporting.
CBS2/KCAL9's Dave Lopez was at McDonnell's election night gathering in downtown L.A., where he spoke to the sheriff, who was elected to office in 2014.
"I'm very happy that — if this was a referendum of what we've been able to achieve in the last four years — the public has been paying attention," he said. "The men and women of the sheriff's department have worked very hard to be able to turn things around. By all measures of how you measure an effective police agency, we're doing good."
"I love this job," he continued. "I love the men and women of the organization who do a very complex, difficult and dangerous and very well. They put everything on the line everyday so I'm honored to be able to lead the organization."
The L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. is the largest in the country, serving 4,084 square-miles and 10 million people.
