INDIANAPOLIS -- Democrat Frank Anderson has declared victory in Tuesday's election for Marion County sheriff. He would be the county's first black sheriff.

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Anderson Gives Acceptance Speech Schneider Concedes Defeat Marion County Election Results

"There's a new sheriff in town," Anderson said in a victory speech around 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Anderson made reference to the contentious nature of his race against Lawrence Mayor Thomas Schneider, a Republican.

"What's going to have to happen is, the voters are going to have to demand the candidates run a clean campaign, and I'm proud of the fact that all of us that ran together, ran a clean campaign," Anderson said. "I've often said to people that if I had to run a race by demeaning my opponent, the victory wouldn't be as sweet.

"This is a sweet victory."

Schneider, conceded defeat around 7:30 p.m.

"I congratulate Frank Anderson," Schneider (pictured, right) said outside Primo Banquet Hall & Conference Center North in Lawrence. "He was a friend of mine when we started; I don't know where our relationship is now.

"My big concern all along has been public safety. I certainly wish him well. He really has a challenge in front of him.

"I would do anything to help Frank, politically or otherwise, for him to accomplish his mission, and he has a big mission in front of him."

Certain advertisements from Schneider's campaign were a bone of contention between the two camps.

One TV commercial claimed Anderson had a financial interest in a family restaurant-turned-bar that was sued for not paying its bills. But Anderson campaign officials claimed that Anderson's family, and not Anderson, had failed to pay the debt.

This week, the Schneider campaign stopped distributing a flier that contained a fuzzy photo of U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, D-Ind.

The image of Carson appeared next to a picture of Anderson and former President Bill Clinton. Above the pictures was the headline, "The Frank Anderson Team."

Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson had called the use of the Carson photo "outright racism." Schneider's campaign manager, David Brooks, called the fuzzy picture a "technical printing error."

Resource:

Marion County Election Results