ORANGE COUNTY, Texas — There's a new sheriff in Orange County.
Jimmy Lane Mooney won Tuesday's election and will replace outgoing sheriff Keith Merritt.
Mooney is the current constable for precinct 4 in Orange County.
Mooney has 30 years of law enforcement experience. He is the director of the Vidor Chamber of Commerce and has previously been a non-commissioned officer with the Texas Military Dept. Mooney is also an Orange Co. business owner.
Mooney defeated Rob Strause with 52% of the vote winning 6,991 - 6,457.
Strause is the lieutenant over the Orange Co. Sheriff's Office Narcotics and Vice related division. He has also worked with the Sour Lake Police Dept., the Orange Co. District Attorney Office and served as Orange Co. Constable for precinct 2.
The sheriff's race in Orange Co. got heated in the final days before the election. The race drew a lot of attention throughout Southeast Texas.
Mooney's win comes despite his opponent picking up newspaper endorsements. Mooney also earned less in political contributions than his opponent.
Merritt announced in 2019 that he was not seeking re-election, opening the door for a new sheriff after more than a decade.
Sheriff Merritt was elected in 2009. He did not endorse any candidate in the race.
There was no democrat running in the party primary, meaning there will be no opposition in November. Mooney is set to be sworn in in 2021.
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