Luna holds 40-point lead over Villanueva in L.A. County sheriff race

Los Angeles County voters have delivered a strong early mandate for incumbent Sheriff Robert Luna in the race for the top law enforcement post. As of 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, tallies of vote-by-mail and vote center ballots cast prior to Election Day showed Luna leading with 70.2 percent of the vote. Former Sheriff Alex Villanueva trailed with 29.8 percent in the same reporting period.

Luna, 60, defeated Villanueva, 63, four years ago in a similar contest. In that 2022 election, Luna won with 61.3 percent of the vote while Villanueva received 38.7 percent. The current results reflect a wider margin for the incumbent, a trend Luna attributed to his performance during the last four years in office.

In a brief statement to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Luna said he was not yet declaring victory but described himself as very optimistic about the early numbers. He later addressed supporters at a campaign event in Carson, where he credited the result to a team effort. He told the crowd that voters recognized his department was progressing forward rather than moving backward.

Villanueva, who served from 2018 to 2022, spent the intervening years in local politics and oversight battles. He ran for county supervisor in the Fourth District in 2024 but lost in the primary to Janice Hahn, who secured 57.8 percent of the vote. Villanueva finished second in that race with 28.1 percent. His previous tenure was marked by conflicts with the Board of Supervisors and oversight committees regarding departmental transparency.

The current campaign saw little public debate between the two candidates. Luna received $729,134 in total campaign contributions through Oct. 17, according to filing records. Villanueva reported receiving $242,070 in total contributions over the same period. Both campaigns relied heavily on cash donations.

A major point of contention during the election was the issue of deputy gangs. Villanueva previously stated there were no such groups within the department, a position he maintained until a 2023 Rand Corp. report estimated that 15 percent to 20 percent of deputies joined informal cliques. Luna acknowledged the existence of these groups during a Board of Supervisors meeting earlier this year, calling them a serious issue for the department and the community.

Luna stated he is working regularly with the Office of Inspector General to address the problem and change the department's culture. He noted that violent crime has fallen 7 percent overall in areas patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department since he took office. Homicides in those areas have decreased by 25 percent, according to his remarks.

The department also reported a 50 percent increase in applicants in 2025, processing approximately 16,900 applications. Luna said the average academy class size increased by 25 percent. He noted that the department recorded its highest number of new hires and its fewest deputy departures in the last five years.

Both candidates agreed that the aging Men's Central Jail requires a replacement facility before it can close. Luna advocated for building a Correctional Care Facility first to ensure safe housing for those in custody. On immigration, Luna said the department does not participate in federal immigration enforcement, cooperating only in criminal investigations, terrorism, human trafficking, or other public-safety matters consistent with California law.

Villanueva emphasized staffing as a priority, arguing that a fully staffed department prevents crime and allows for effective investigation. He stated in a Facebook post that protecting the public from crime is the main issue in the election. The final results will include ballots cast on Election Day and remaining mail-in ballots.