SAN ANTONIO – Democrat Nicolas "Nico" LaHood defeated Republican incumbent Susan Reed Tuesday night in a close race for Bexar County district attorney.
LaHood lost to Reed four years ago by eight percentage points, but came back in this election with several key supporters by his side.
"I made it about not politics. It is about people, it is about issues. I'm honored to have Republican support. I will be the DA for the people and not a specific party. We have to be fair and have due process for everybody," LaHood said.
LaHood began the evening behind after early voting ballots were counted, but remained optimistic.
"We were down by 2,500, which was very encouraging. We are ready and prepared to be down by more. That was a blessing," said LaHood at his campaign watch party.
The loss for Reed ends her 16-year run as Bexar County district attorney. As the night wore on, it became clear she would not be re-elected.
"Either way it goes, I've been just so honored and privileged to represent our community in this office," said Reed. "God will take care of me one way or the other."
During the campaign to unseat Reed, attorney LaHood claimed Reed was too political and had a dismal record in the area of child abuse cases.
Reed countered by saying LaHood's statistics were not accurate and that he was trying to buy the office.
She referred to $1.2 million in campaign contributions to LaHood from Corpus Christi personal injury attorney Thomas J. Henry.
LaHood said that Henry was concerned about the city's rising crime rate, particularly in child abuse and neglect cases.
When asked if the contribution from Henry was instrumental in her defeat, Reed said "It had an enormous impact."
Reed's campaign focused on her accomplishments in areas of protecting the elderly and children, as well as her battle against neighborhood gang violence.