Villanueva takes narrow lead over LA Sheriff Jim McDonnell

(FOX 11) - It looks like LA County Sheriff Jim McDonnell is in danger of losing his job in what could be a stunning upset. His challenger Alex Villanueva has taken a narrow lead.

Alex Villanueva hugged his wife Vivian and then sat down at a folding table set up in the crossfit gym he co -owns in Whittier to talk about his future.

If his narrow lead holds, he'll be the next Sheriff of LA County, one of the biggest jobs in law enforcement anywhere. "People are tired of incumbments'' he said. ... "People want change, they want real reform.'' He linked incumbent Jim McDonnell to President Trump and Jeff Sessions, believing that was fair and accurate, accusing the Sheriff of ''weaponizing immigration for political gain'' a charge McDonnell emphatically denies.

It's a huge job, running the Sheriff's Department, with some 18,000 deputies, the nation's largest jail system and the Lee Baca Paul Tanaka years not too far in the past.

He believes he's up to it and he's appreciative of the vote of confidence the people have given him.

In the meantime McDonnell has conceded nothing.

The next update from the Registrar Recorders office comes out Friday. The results are to be ''certified'' by Nov 30, and a recall is legally likely.