Jorge Hernandez is set to become Lubbock's next municipal judge after winning nearly 56 percent of the vote compared to Susan Rowley's 44 percent Saturday in a citywide runoff election.

At a watch party at his daughter's house in Southwest Lubbock, Hernandez celebrated with supporters and said he was still absorbing the news of his win.

"It hasn't settled in yet, but it feels very rewarding. I am humbled by all of this. I am humbled by the support and the workers that I had and how they're the ones that kept me going. They worked so hard," he said. "Tonight, it's really for them. They're the ones who made it all possible."

Hernandez said Rowley called to offer her congratulations.

Hernandez had nothing but good things to say about Rowley

"She was very, very gracious in conceding,"he said.

Rowley told A-J Media on Saturday evening that she was impressed with voter turnout in the race, but doesn't believe as many of her supporters voted in the runoff election as compared to the May municipal elections.

Rowley received the most votes in the May 7 election that sent her and Hernandez into the runoff. Rowley led the three-way race with about 45 percent of the vote compared to 31 percent for Hernandez.

"I'm disappointed, but I'm happy for Jorge," Rowley said Saturday. "He's a great guy; he'll do a great job."

According to results from the Lubbock County Elections Office, 7,154 votes were cast in the municipal judge race during the city-wide runoff election as compared to 7,396 votes cast in the May election - indicating more than 200 people opted not to vote for either candidate.

Hernandez said that even though this is his first experience as an elected official, he knows the job expectations because he has worked as the associate judge under current Municipal Judge Robert Doty for four years.

"I love the work that I do, and I know the work I'll be doing. The politicking side, that's what was new to me, and it can be overbearing at times," Hernandez said. "It's a lot of work. It's more than what I thought."

Most of that work, he said, was because he had worthy opponents in Rowley and Phil Johnson, both of whom he faced in May.

Hernandez has handled the juvenile cases in municipal court for the past four years after starting his law office in 1987, and Rowley is a criminal defense attorney in Lubbock and began her private practice in 2001.

Doty is retiring and did not seek re-election after having the position since 1998.

karen.michael@lubbockonline.com

• 766-8726

Follow Karen on Twitter

@AJkarenmichael