Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/duke-nguyen/)
Barnes, who has so far received 57 percent of votes to 43 percent for his opponent, Duke Nguyen, declared victory Wednesday afternoon. The Registrar of Voters still has 418,600 votes to count.
The election comes after years of controversy and scandal for the retiring Sheriff, Sandra Hutchens.
Duke Nguyen is running for Orange County Sheriff to reform the department and make sure that there is more accountability. A 26-year law enforcement veteran, he believes that people are ready for a change within law enforcement.
Republican Undersheriff Donald Barnes and Los Angeles District Attorney Investigator Duke Nguyen, a Democrat, are vying to replace retiring Sheriff Sandra Hutchens on Nov. 6, in a contest that will test whether years of scandal and controversies have affected how voters view the embattled department.
Tustin resident Duke Nguyen, a former Santa Ana Police officer who now works as an investigator with the LA District Attorney’s office, talks about why he’s running to be Orange County’s next Sheriff. Nguyen’s opponent, Under Sheriff Don Barnes, also has been invited to offer his insights on the election.
Voters sent mixed messages to Orange County’s scandal-scarred law enforcement agencies Tuesday, with incumbent District Attorney Tony Rackauckas scraping by with a 4 percent lead and a more decisive margin for Undersheriff Donald Barnes, who ended election night more than 20 points ahead in his race to become Sheriff.
Republican Undersheriff Donald Barnes is close to winning the Sheriff’s race outright, ending election night with 50.7 percent of votes, according to results posted by the Registrar of Voters 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Undersheriff Don Barnes, Aliso Viejo Mayor Dave Harrington and Los Angeles District Attorney detective Duke Nguyen are all vying for the Sheriff’s seat on June 5.