201811.07
0

OC Undersheriff Don Barnes wins sheriff’s race after challenger Duke Nguyen concedes

by in News

  • Sheriff’s candidate Don Barnes shares a moment with his wife Marilyn at the end of the evening. They were at their election night headquarters in Santa Ana on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Undersheriff Don Barnes, right, a candidate for Orange County Sheriff, talks with Orange County Chief Probation Officer Steve Sentman and his wife Joni on convention night, Tuesday, November 6, 2018. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Sound
    The gallery will resume inseconds

  • Sheriff’s candidate Duke Nguyen talks with a supporter at Bosava Restaurant in Westminster on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Undersheriff Don Barnes, a candidate for Orange County Sheriff talks with a supporter at Original Mike’s in Santa Ana. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Undersheriff Don Barnes, a candidate for Orange County Sheriff checks early election returns with Ray Grangoff at Original Mike’s in Santa Ana on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Sheriff’s candidate Duke Nguyen and his wife Laura met with supporters at Bosava Restaurant in Westminister on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Undersheriff Don Barnes announces early election returns at his election night headquarters on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Barnes is a candidate for Orange County Sheriff. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

of

Expand

Orange County Undersheriff Don Barnes will replace retiring Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, confirmed Wednesday afternoon when political newcomer Duke Nguyen conceded the race.

Barnes was far ahead of Nguyen, 57.1 percent to 42.9 percent, as of Wednesday, with more than 400,000 late mail-in and provisional ballots yet to be counted.

Nguyen said, “I am very proud of how we ran our campaign. We went into this to bring more accountability and trust to the Sheriff’s Department. I think we definitely met the goal of educating as many people as possible about the issues in the department. They spent over $1.2 million to keep that change out of the department.”

He continued, “The need for newfound integrity in the department is paramount. I truly hope that Don will move beyond the tribal politics he ran on. We need someone who will take responsibility for the problems within the department and move forward. …The changes that need to be made cannot happen over night, or by criminalizing everyone who does not have the power to stand up for themselves.”

Barnes, the hand-picked heir apparent to Hutchens, represents the status quo, campaigning on his 29-year record with the department and blaming years of scandal on a few rogue employees.

Nguyen, a political newcomer and public integrity investigator with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, had called for changes in a department facing controversy after controversy, including complaints by the ACLU of inhumane treatment in the jail.

Hutchens on Wednesday congratulated Barnes, calling him a man of character and informed judgment.

“The people of Orange County can have every confidence that Don Barnes will be a watchful steward of taxpayer dollars, a servant leader for the 4,000 employees of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and, most importantly, a faithful advocate for the safety of Orange County residents,” said Hutchens.

Barnes will take over the office in January.