NATCHEZ — Lisa Jordan Dale said she has been working the past 20 years for the victory she won in Tuesday’s Natchez municipal judge race.

“I am truly honored,” Dale said Tuesday at a victory party at the Hotel Vue. “It ratifies the fact that for 20 years, I have treated everyone fairly … and they trusted me to take this position as judge.”

Dale unofficially defeated local attorney Carmen Brooks with 2,311 votes, or 54.2 percent of the vote. Brooks received 1,950 votes or 45.8 percent of the vote.Brooks said she was not disappointed by Tuesday’s outcome.

“I feel good,” she said at an election party at Natchez Manor. “We ran a good campaign. The numbers tell the tale, but I don’t feel defeated in any way. The City of Natchez had an opportunity to raise the bar, and for whatever reason, we missed that opportunity.”

Brooks said she knows she possesses the skills it takes to “take Natchez to the next level.”

“We’re not going to stop,” she said.

Up next for Dale will be the transition from city prosecutor to judge.

“We want to make that transition as smooth as possible,” she said.

Dale thanked her supporters and said she has been fueled by the hard work of her campaign volunteers.

“My campaign crew worked so hard going door-to-door with old-fashioned, shake your hand politics,” she said. “They worked with me and believed in me. I just want to say thank you to the voters for having faith in me and trusting me. I will honorably serve as your judge.”