ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County voters have chosen a new sheriff.

John Mina was elected Tuesday as the next Orange County sheriff. He won with 45.6 percent of the vote.

The former Orlando police chief defeated businessman Daryl Sheppard, who received 40.6 percent of the vote, and retired Florida Highway Patrol chief Joe Lopez, who trailed the field with 13.8 percent.

Mina, 50, succeeds former sheriff Jerry Demings, who was elected mayor of Orange County in August. He will now lead the largest law enforcement agency in Central Florida. 

"I know we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, and I am ready for those challenges," Mina said Tuesday night to a crowd of supporters. "My experience has prepared me for this next step, and I'm looking forward to working with all of you to make our community an even safer place to live."

During Mina's time as chief of Orlando Police, he lead the agency during several tragedies, including the Pulse nightclub shooting. 

As Orange County sheriff, Mina said he plans to tackle important issues such as reducing violent crime, combating the opioid crisis, keeping children safe in schools and building relationships with residents.