CIRCUIT COURT REPORT

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION CENTRAL ….. CIRCUIT COURT

The following Circuit Court Judges face election this Fall and have drawn NO opposition:

Group 03 John Schlesinger
Group 10 Scott Bernstein
Group 12 Bertila Soto
Group 20 John Thornton, Jr.
Group 26 Scott Silverman
Group 28 Jennifer Bailey
Group 30 Rosa Rodriguez
Group 32 Barbara Areces
Group 34 Gill Freeman
Group 39 William Johnson
Group 40 William Thomas
Group 52 Michael Genden
Group 59 Nushin Sayfie
Group 73 Julio Jimenez
Group 74 George Sarduy

The following Circuit Court Groups are open/contested:

Group 21 Judy Kreeger ***

Two candidates have filed to run in this election: Miguel de la O and Patricia Kopco. However, Judge Kreeger has recently tendered her resignation letter to Governor Crist and will retire on June 30, 2010. The 11th Circuit JNC has asked applicants to submit their applications for this “open seat”. The deadline for submitting applications is May 10, 2010. Can the Governor take this seat out of the hands of the voters and make the appointment himself? It appears that he can and will attempt to do so. Will de la O or Kopco file suit challenging this move?

Group 41 Milton Hirsch***

Judge Gerald Hubbart is retiring. Milton filed for this seat on October 1, 2008. In the past 19 months, Mr. Hirsch has raised a total of $160,000 and deposited an additional $100,000 of his own money into his campaign account. Will the $260,000 scare off anyone from filing against him? Will Richard Hersch fly solo in his Cessna to Tallahassee and make an 11:59 am filing and by virtue of the "e" in his name, be first on the ballot in a race against "i" ? We will all know the answers to these questions on or before April 30, 2010, the deadline for filing.

Group 45 Peter Adrien, Samantha Ruiz Cohen, Jeffrey Swartz ***

Judge Adrien has filed for re-election to the seat he first won in 2004. He has raised a total of $9,870 for his campaign.

Mrs. Ruiz Cohen and Mr. Swartz each filed exactly one year ago. Ruiz Cohen has had, at last count, attended 432 campaign fundraisers, (that was a joke) and has raised $66,000. She has dropped an additional $112,500 of her own money into the campaign. Swartz has raised a whopping $250 in his one fundraiser, which was attended by one person, Rumpole; (that was also a joke). He has also added $2,160 of his own money to his campaign war chest.

Group 62 Monica Gordo, Robert Kuntz ***

Judge Paul Siegel is retiring. Ms. Gordo filed only one month ago and has raised $2,350 as of the last reporting period. She has also contributed $2,000 of her own money to the campaign. Mr. Kuntz filed 16 months ago and he has raised nearly $55,000. He added $100 of his own money to the campaign coffers.

So, my fellow bloggers, what say you? Which incumbents deserve opposition? Which incumbents will draw opposition? Should Milt Hirsch win without facing an opponent? Will anyone risk running against someone who has over a quarter of a million dollars that he is willing to spend to win a seat that is worth at least $850,000.

We will know the answers to these questions and more by Friday.

CAPTAIN OUT ……