Bossier City lawyer Mike Craig was elected to a judgeship on the Bossier-Webster District Court Saturday night, defeating incumbent Judge Dewey Burchett .

Craig, an assistant district attorney, got 51 percent of the vote to 49 percent for Burchett, according to complete but unofficial returns.

Craig defeated Burchett by less than 400 votes out of nearly 24,000 cast.

Sitting judges are rarely challenged, but this race was acrimonious. Craig accused Burchett of being a liberal and keyed on a handful of cases where lenient sentences were imposed. Burchett brought up an issue from Craig's divorce and big tax lien filed against him by the IRS last month.