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Saturday, April 19, 2008
Ind. Courts - Delaware County "Judicial races drawing most local campaign donations"
Rick Yencer reports today in the Muncie Star-Press:
Delaware County's contested judicial races -- especially the campaign for the Democratic nomination in Circuit Court 5 -- are drawing the most money in advance of the May 6 primary election.Friday marked the deadline for pre-primary reports of candidates seeking election in the primary.
"With high interest in presidential and gubernatorial contests, there has been a strain on money coming to local candidates," said Allie Craycraft, vice chairman of the Delaware County Democratic Central Committee.
Muncie City Court Judge Linda Ralu Wolf -- in a Democratic primary race with Deputy Prosecutor Joe Orick for the Circuit Court 3 nomination -- donated the entire $8,000 in contributions reported by her campaign committee, spending $6,702 on billboards and advertising.
Orick raised $13,121, from friends, relatives and fellow members of Prosecutor Mark McKinney's staff. He also donated $3,050 to his campaign.
In the Democratic race for judge of Circuit Court 5, Democrats Tom Cannon Jr., Ron Henderson and Kimberly Dowling had combined raised more than $45,000, making it the biggest spending of the local races.
Cannon raised the most money of any judicial candidate, $21,097, with Henderson next at $14,250, and Dowling third at $10,045.
"We have not had a lot of fundraisers," said Larry Dailey, Cannon's campaign treasurer.
Cannon and his wife put $10,000 of their money into the campaign while Dailey, and attorney and son of Circuit Court 2 Judge Richard Dailey, added another $2,500, with the balance from other contributors.
Henderson -- who has had fundraisers at Democratic Party headquarters -- contributed $6,400 to his own campaign, with the rest of his money coming from about 20 other contributors.
In the Republican race for Circuit Court 3 judge, Mark Delgado reported $8,536 in contributions, while GOP primary opponent Judi Calhoun had $3,598. Both candidates listed largely unitemized contributions.
"For the most part, we have not used our own money," said Delgado, who held a fundraiser Friday and maintained no one had turned him down for a contribution.
Longtime Circuit Court 3 Judge Robert Barnet Jr. has announced plans to retire at year's end, while Circuit Court 5 Judge Wayne Lennington has resigned effective next month in the wake of criminal and professional misconduct investigations. Both men are Democrats.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 19, 2008 10:11 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts