Move over, Broward County.
There's a new sheriff in town.
Al Lamberti lost his bid for reelection to Scott Israel as Broward sheriff.
See also:
- Al Lamberti Mystery Emailers Remind Voters of the Sheriff's Shady Past
Around 10:30 Tuesday night, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Israel had a 53.31 percent t 46.69 percent lead over Lamberti. Israel declared himself the winner in front of a raucous crowd of supporters in Davie.
"I thank my kids, my in-laws, this beautiful lady, I thank my wife, just thank everybody," he said.
Lamberti and Israel ran against each other in 2008, but Lamberti won, making him the only elected Republican official in Democratically strong Broward County.
Lamberti based his bid for reelection on promises of decreasing the number of pill mills and battling identity theft.
Overall, this was a race marred by attack ads and mud slinging. A video appeared on YouTube alleging Israel had an affair and forced the woman to have an abortion.
Israel promised more diversity in the BSO -- something that had dogged Lamberti throughout his tenure as the top cop. In recent days, emails and YouTube videos from an unknown group highlighting Lamberti's shady job history began to crop up.
Although Lamberti made numerous public appearances and made promises to keep things nonpartisan, it seems that his crooked ways finally caught up with him -- including his connections to Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein.
As Israel declared victory in front of about a hundred volunteers and supporters last night, Lamberti refused to concede.
But the writing's on the wall.
Lamberti's done.
"Reducing crime, enhancing the quality of life, diversifying the work force. And keeping kids out of jail," Israel told his supporters during his victory party.
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