Sheriff Luna re-elected in landslide over Villanueva Play

Newly re-elected Sheriff Robert Luna promises to keep a steady hand at the LA County Sheriff's Office, which serves as the City of Malibu's police department. Luna beat former Sheriff Alex Villanueva by a huge margin, nearly two-and-a-half votes to one in this week's election.

Luna told ABC7 that voters had one primary object in mind when they cast their decision this week at the polling places: "Number one's always crime. We need to keep our streets safe, and that's why I always talk about the ability. When I first got here, part one crime was up 12 percent. Last year I reduced it by 12 percent. People want to make sure that our streets are safe."

Alex Villanueva sent an email to a Los Angeles Daily News reporter Tuesday saying he respects the vote. Quote: "I won't pretend this outcome is good for the people who must live with it." Villanueva has now lost three consecutive elections, including his last two bids for sheriff and his campaign two years ago to become the LA County Supervisor from the South Bay. He lost there in a wipeout.

As the LA Times puts it, the former sheriff's brand of sharp-elbowed politics, plagued by scandal and vitriol, left him effectively radioactive in county politics. Retired County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told the Daily News that Luna has done an excellent job: "He's an adult. He's apolitical, a real straight arrow." Yaroslavsky says, "I think the county has had enough of Villanueva."