THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
ELECTION 2024 - QUALIFYING WEEK UPDATE.......
Very little to report after two days. Qualifying Week ends at Noon on Friday. As of 5 PM today, there have been no new candidates entering races for Circuit or County Court Judge.
In the Circuit Court:
All candidates that filed have paid their Qualifying Fee except for two:
Group 14 - Vivianne del Rio
Group 56 - Javier Enriquez
In County Court:
All candidates that filed have paid their Qualifying Fee except for:
Group 18 - Betsy Alvarez Zane - NOW QUALIFIED
Group 29 - Scott Janowitz
Group 31 - Rita Maria Baez - we spoke with Ms. Baez and she has indicated that she will be qualifying in this Group.
In Group 29, there are three candidates listed as intending to run in that Group. Two of those candidates, Christopher Benjamin and Alina Salcines Restrepo, have paid their Qualifying Fee. They are each locked into this race.
Candidate Scott Janowitz, who was appointed to the bench by Gov DeSantis in 2020 and ran in 2022 to hold his seat, and lost that seat to current Judge Alicia Privolos (60% to 40%), Janowitz has communicated with me and stated that he will be Qualifying in a Group. Janowitz would not respond to my question as to which Group, which leads me to believe that, given the fact that Group 29 already has two candidates, Janowitz is looking at other Groups and gauging which race would give him the best chance of winning.
Christopher Brown has raised $32,078. Alina Salcines Restrepo has raised only $9,510 but has added $40,000 to her campaign in the form of a loan. Scott Janowitz on the other hand has raised only $1,250 and loaned his campaign an extra $500.
Which Group might Janowitz jump into? There are two open seats: Group 4 where Judge Robin Faber is retiring and only one candidate has qualified. Michelle Urbistondo, who has raised $54,150 and loaned her campaign an additional $100,500. There is also Group 12, where Judge Steve Leifman is retiring. Only Mario Corcilli has qualified in that Group and he has raised $43,801 and kicked in an additional $120,000 of his own money.
There are also 15 County Court judges currently facing no opposition. Judge Christopher Green has drawn one opponent, that being the above-mentioned Rita Baez.
It has also been very quiet in the race for State Attorney where Katherine Fernandez Rundle is still unopposed.
NORTH OF THE BORDER
State Attorney Dave Aronberg, of the 15th judicial circuit in Palm Beach County, is not seeking re-election. So far, seven candidates have filed to replace Aronberg but only two have qualified as of today. They include: Forrest Freedman and Craig Williams. Other candidates who have not yet paid the qualifying fee include: Alexcia Cox, Adam Farkas, Gregg Lerman, Rolando Silva, and Samuel Stern.
Also in the 15th Circuit, Public Defender Carey Haughwout is also not running for reelection. Daniel Eisinger has qualified in that race while candidate Adam Frankel has not yet paid his qualifying fee.
In Broweird, State Attorney Harold Pryor and Public Defender Gordon Weekes do not appear to have attracted any opponents.
THIRD DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL .....
In the wake of the sudden death of Judge Eric Hendon, the 3rd DCA JNC has scheduled interviews this Friday, April 26, with the following persons:
Donald Barrett
Woody Clermont
Margaret Correoso
Angel Cortinas
Kansas Gooden
Judge Spencer Multack
Judge Joseph Perkins
Judge Thomas Rebull
Judge Daryl Trawick
Judge Robert Wilson
Judge Laura Gonzalez-Marques
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