NBCLA projects Luna defeats Villanueva in LA County sheriff reelection

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna has won reelection by a commanding margin, fending off a challenge from his predecessor Alex Villanueva and securing a second term leading the nation’s largest sheriff’s department, NBC Los Angeles projected Tuesday night. With roughly 70% of the vote to Villanueva’s 30% among ballots counted, the result handed Luna a decisive mandate as he seeks to continue reforms he argues have driven crime down across the county.

The race was called late Tuesday, with the Associated Press projecting a Luna victory at 9:42 p.m. when 55% of votes had been tallied, according to FOX LA. Luna had finished first in the June primary but fell short of the outright majority needed to avoid a runoff, setting up this rematch with Villanueva, whom he defeated four years ago to first win the office in 2022.

A Rematch That Never Became Close

Villanueva campaigned on a message that the department had “fallen apart” under Luna’s leadership, pointing to a shortage of deputies as evidence of institutional decline. Luna, for his part, ran on a record he says shows the opposite: significant drops in crime during his tenure, alongside efforts to improve transparency, eliminate cultural problems within the department, and reduce instances where deputies use force.

Robert Luna projected to win LA County sheriff's race

The sheriff’s 40-year background in law enforcement — including seven years as chief of the Long Beach Police Department — has anchored his “relationship-based” policing philosophy, one FOX LA notes was inspired by his upbringing in East Los Angeles.

What Luna Points To

Luna’s campaign emphasized statistical declines in homicides and overall violent crime during his first term, paired with increased crime clearance rates, according to his campaign website as reported by FOX LA. To sustain those trends, his platform outlines targeted tactics — including a Crime Strategy Unit, enhanced safety measures on the Metro system, and coordination with the Los Angeles Police Department to hold repeat offenders accountable — balanced with prevention methods, social services, and community engagement.

NBCLA projects Luna defeats Villanueva in LA County sheriff reelection — Photo: foxla.com

On rebuilding public trust, Luna highlights internal reforms such as the establishment of the Office of Constitutional Policing and an explicit policy banning law enforcement gangs within the department. His administration has also pushed for greater transparency through a public data dashboard tracking crime, uses of force, and personnel complaints, along with adherence to legal settlement agreements.

Operationally, the sheriff has detailed efforts to modernize aging infrastructure, including replacing a decades-old Computer Aided Dispatch system, procuring new inmate transport buses, expanding academy classes, and hiring a civilian chief financial officer for oversight. His platform also prioritizes deputy wellness through expanded mental health services and peer counseling, while addressing regional homelessness through the LASD Homeless Outreach Services Team and support for ballot initiatives funding affordable housing, mental health, and substance abuse treatment.

Incumbent Robert Luna projected to win re-election in LA County Sheriff's race

The Stakes for the Nation’s Largest Department

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is the nation’s largest sheriff’s department. Luna’s victory ensures continuity in leadership at a moment when the department faces challenges including a shortage of deputies.

Villanueva claimed the law enforcement agency has “fallen apart” under Luna’s leadership and pointed to a shortage of deputies, but Luna won over 70% of the vote.

As Luna begins his second term, the focus now shifts to whether the crime reductions he cites can be sustained and whether his transparency initiatives — from the public data dashboard to the constitutional policing office — deliver measurable changes in how the department operates.