Jeff Crisco spent Wednesday pulling up campaign signs, a day after he finished pulling off a victory for sheriff.

Crisco capped off his pursuit of the office for sheriff by garnering more than 81 percent of the vote against Democrat Sonny Hinson. He amassed 17,866 votes to Hinson’s 4,172.

“It really hasn’t sunk in,” Crisco said after the lopsided victory. He also acknowledged the campaign as stressful.

His campaign platform was one of experience, having spent his career in law enforcement.

Hinson, on the other hand, touted the office as one of more administrative. He countered that his lack of law enforcement experience would be equally as advantageous.

Voters, however, overwhelmingly disagreed.

The first-time sheriff admits that while law enforcement work is a more natural setting to his background, the political side of the office may take some getting use to.

“I’m not a politician,” Crisco said. “I’ve never played the political game and I won’t. I believe right is right and wrong is wrong. That’s the way I was raised.”

Hinson was gracious in defeat.

“I have prayed about it and I’m tickled to death that he’s our next sheriff,” Hinson said. “I hope all the people in the county get behind him because he can’t do it alone. I’ll do anything I can to help him.”

Hinson said local Republicans have replaced Democrats as the leading party, adding that his party failed to support his candidacy.

“Democrats have a long way to go,” he added. “They work against one another.”

Crisco emerged as the Republican nominee among a logjam of five candidates in the GOP primary.