So you ask why is it important that we pay attention to the Judicial or down ballot as it is referred to? The simple answer is that the decisions a Judge makes on a daily basis affects our lives more than any other decisions in our government. Therefore, it is extremely important that we pay just as much attention if not more to these races as we do the Governor's race. We have many different choices on the Republican Ballot in several races, but we need to be careful that we do not elect a candidate who is not qualified and who is not a true conservative. The remainder of this blog posting will discuss each race and reveal my endorsement for each race. You can also find responses to some of these candidates at Big Jolly Politics.
I am going to start off with the Family District Court races, the family court system is one that I am affected by and currently fighting a battle in a different county. I understand what it is like to have a judge who does not hear the facts in the case, and stays with the status quo. Can you guess what party this judge belongs??
Family District Court 308 - This race is jam packed with four candidates and two candidates stand out for me at this time, Rick Ramos and James Lombardino. I think both of these guys are great candidates for this Family Court, however the one thing that sticks out for me is that Rick has worked as a law clerk in this same court, and has a great plan on running the courtroom and docket to make cases heard more efficient. This truly will cut taxpayers money, being proactive is the key. As a result of his passion for this court and families along with the proactive manner he is approaching his duties, my endorsement for this race will be Rick Ramos.
Family District Court 309 - This race is also jam packed with four candidates, however this race was very easy for me to make an endorsement. It basically comes down to how much experience and conservative principles the candidates have. Sheri Y. Dean has devoted much of her life to family law, and is a life long conservative. Sheri is the right person for the job.
Family District Court 310 - There is one clear choice in this race, she has also devoted much of her life to family law, and is one of the best sitting judges in the family court system. Based on HBA 2009 Judicial ratings Judge Lisa Millard rated an overall 83% rating as acceptable and outstanding. Judge Millard is the clear choice and I endorse her for this race.
Family District Court 311 - This race is another jam packed race with five candidates, however the two individuals that stick out for me are Donna Detamore and Anthony Magdaleno. However, Mrs. Detamore in my opinion has a few qualifications more than the other candidates, and she is one of two candidates who is board certified. I endorse Donna Detamore.
Juvenile District Court 313 - In this race the research I have found is that Fred Wilson seems to be very qualified and is committed to changing the lives of young people that will eventually make in impact in society. His proactive approach is something we need in all judges. I endorse Fred Wilson.
Now I will move on to the Criminal and Civil District Court races.
Criminal District Court 180 - This race has three candidates running, however only one stands out to me as the best qualified with strong conservative values. Emily Munoz has dedicated her career to criminal justice in various areas. If you read her qualifications on Big Jolly Politics and visit her website you will find she is the only candidate in the race with an all around background and qualifications along with being the only candidate who is board certified.
Civil District Court 280 - I think this was the easiest race to pick. The clear endorsement goes to Lynn Bradshaw-Hull. Mrs. Bradshaw-Hull is a former Judge, and was victim to the straight ticket ballot last year during the Obama run. Mrs. Bradshaw-Hull is clearly the most qualified and is the only true conservative in her race. In Mrs. Bradshaw-Hull's own words from her website "I have presided fairly in the disposition of more than 60,000 cases, including over 500 jury trials" I think that alone makes her very qualified for this position.
As you can see much research has been completed to offer a fair opinion in these races, however no matter who wins in these races we will need to rally around our Republican Canididate to defeat the Democrats in November, 2010.
I hope that this information is valuable and helpful when you decide to vote.
Thanks
Eric A. Dumatrait
