Bexar County is getting a new top prosecutor. After almost 20 years in office, District Attorney Susan Reed was defeated by challenger, Nicholas "Nico"LaHood, in Tuesday night's election.
LaHood gave his victory speech shortly after 10 p.m. He said he knows he will face criticism going into his first day in the office.
LaHood had big backers and threw a big party at the Pearl Stables for around 200 supporters. Mariachis provided the music while people watched the monitors, and the numbers started turning around for LaHood shortly before 9 p.m. Still, he wouldn’t speculate:
"We're excited but I don't ever count my eggs before they're hatched. Just like a jury trial - until the verdict's back I just stay calm and humble and wait," he said.
This was LaHood’s second attempt to unseat Susan Reed, losing in 2010 by a margin of just eight percent. He came back this year with some big campaign money and some big endorsements from some respected local celebrities such as Eva Longoria and Tim Duncan. LaHood says he is prepared to handle criticism of his drug conviction as a young man and believes he can use his lesson to help others.
"I'm trying to talk about the present. I don't let my past hold me down," he said. "I'm comfortable in my skin. I'm redeemed. I believe in redemption; our justice system believes in it, and I hope I can inspire other people that if they make a poor choice or go through a season in their life, if they take responsibility in their life, then their life's not over."
LaHood, who defeated Reed by slightly more than a 3-point margin, says he’s eager to start working to mitigate child abuse in the county and improve what he calls a high dismissal rate of DWI cases.
