Assemblyman Mickey Kearns has won the race for Erie County clerk.

Kearns defeated Democratic candidate Steve Cichon 52 percent to 48 percent.

He'll be replacing Chris Jacobs, who was elected to the State Senate last year.

"This is not only a win for me tonight, this is a win for the voters of Erie County, this is a win for the little guy and the people out there who need help from this clerk’s office," Kearns said.

Kearns, a Democrat running as a Republican, centered his campaign on addressing so-called zombie properties.