It costs a lot to run for judge in certain races
One might think that it costs more to run for a higher court seat than a lower court seat. Think again. It all depends on who the candidates are and where the judicial seat is located. Case in point: Much more money is being raised and spent for a seat on the Bossier-Webster District Court – the 26th Judicial District – than is being raised and spent for a seat on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal, which has jurisdiction over 20 parishes across north Louisiana..
Two Republican candidates – Juvenile Court Judge David Matlock and Caddo District Court Judge Frances Pitman – are vying for the vacancy on the nine-member 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal. The vacancy was created by the retirement of Appellate Judge Charles Peatross.
The judicial district in which Matlock and Pitman are running is District 3 and includes a part of Caddo and all of DeSoto and Red River parishes. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal is divided into three judicial districts to assure geographic representation.
Three Republican candidates – Bossier City attorney Whit Graves, Assistant Bossier-Webster District Attorney Mike Nerren, and Springhill City Court Judge John Slattery – are seeking the open seat on the 26th Judicial Court, which includes Bossier and Webster parishes. The opening was created by the retirement of Judge Bruce Bolin.
Both of these judicial elections will be on the ballot on November 6.
Judges on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal serve 10-year terms. District Court judges, such those in the 26th Judicial District race, serve six-year terms.
Who’s got the money?
Raising money to run for a judicial seat is not always an easy task. Candidates are prohibited from personally soliciting contributions. So, basically, they have to depend on contributors to come forward on their own – or use their own funds.
Let’s take a look at the campaign finances for both of these races – money received, money spent, and the big contributors.
2nd Circuit Court of Appeal Race
The campaign finance reporting period covers from January 1 through September 27, 2012.
Juvenile Court Judge David Matlock (R)
Matlock had total receipts of $37,269 for the period. However, $20,000 of that was his own money via a personal loan to his campaign.
He had spent $32,824 as of September 27 and had $3,922 on hand.
District Court Judge Frances Pitman (R)
Pitman had total receipts of $42,460. Of that total, $29,810 was her own money, which was loaned to her campaign.
As of September 27, she had spent $27,651 and had $14,942 on hand.
David Matlock’s Top Contributors
Matlock received 40 contributions. Among them:
$5,000 – Joe Hartsfield (Waxahachie, TX)
$1,000 – Doug Lilley (Shreveport), David Scott (Shreveport), Vickie Young (Shreveport).
$500 – Blanchard Walker O’Quin & Roberts (Shreveport), James Campbell (Shreveport), Jessica Felty (Shreveport), M.F. or R.L. Graham (Shreveport), Tom Harrison (Shreveport), John Madison Jr. (Shreveport), McMichael Medlin D’Anna Wedgeworth & Lafar (Shreveport), Michael Salter (Shreveport), Clair or Linda White (Shreveport).
Frances Pitman’s Top Contributors
Pitman received 25 contributions. Among them:
$2,500 – Simmons Morris & Carroll LLC (Shreveport).
$1,000 – W.C. Allen (Oil City), Alton E. Allen (Oil City), John Ferrell MD (Shreveport), David Renda (Shreveport), Ted B. Warren MD (Bossier City).
$750 – T. Steen Trawick Jr. (Shreveport).
$500 – Gachassin Law Firm (Lafayette), James K. Elrod (Shreveport), Wyche Coleman (Coushatta), Charles R. Byrd MD (Shreveport), James R. Bergeron MD (Shreveport).
26th Judicial District Race
The campaign finance reporting period covers January 1 through September 27, 2012.
Attorney Whit Graves (R)
Graves had total receipts of $150,145. Of that total, $90,000 was his own money loaned to his campaign.
As of September 27, he had spent $120,814 and had $28,361 on hand.
Assistant DA Mike Nerren (R)
Nerren had total receipts of $163,116. As of September 27, he had spent $138,293 and had $23,583 on hand.
Springhill City Judge John Slattery (R)
Slattery had total receipts of $104,593. Of that total, $50,000 was his own money loaned to his campaign.
As of September 27, he had spent $71,717 and had $30,445 on hand.
Whit Graves’ Top Contributors
Bossier City attorney Whit Graves had a total of 145 contributions. Here are those who gave $1,000 or more.
$2,500 – Collier Investments Inc./Manpower (Shreveport), Collier Racing Inc. (Benton), Rodney Collier (Benton), Stacy Gonzales (Wylie, TX), Vic Gross (Minden), Howard Hamby (Bossier City), Shree Raley (Bossier City).
$2,000 – S&K Auto Sales (Benton).
$1,500 – Charles Penn III (Keithville).
$1,225 – C&C Transportation Inc. (Benton).
$1,000 – Jerry Armstrong (Dallas, TX), The Cellar Fine Wines (Bossier City), Jason Waltman (Shreveport), Todd Wroten (Bossier City)
Mike Nerren’s Top Contributors
Bossier-Webster Assistant Distrct Attorney Mike Nerren had a total of 286 contributions. Among them:
$2,500 – Beasley-Keith Insurance Agency Inc. (Bossier City), Blazer Construction Co. (Sibley), Bullfrong Frac Rentals LLC (Haughton) Carl Rice & Associates (Shreveport), City Tele Coin Co. Inc. (Bossier City), ENE Consultants LLC (Gibsland), Icee Distributors LLC (Bossier City), William F. Kending Jr. (Bossier City), Mark J. Lowe (Bossier City), Ronald J. Miciotto (Shreveport), George Nattin Jr. (Benton), Patrick R. Jackson APLC (Bossier City).
Also: Top Dollar Pawn (Bossier City), Ryan E. Gatti Attorney (Bossier City), Robinson and Williams LLC (Bossier City), Pulley Construction Inc. (Bossier City), Pressure Washing Equipment & Supplies (Bossier City), Simmons Morris & Carroll LLC (Shreveport), Diane Smith (Springhill), Law Offices of Jack Bailey Jr. APLC (Shreveport), Tri-State Land & Mineral LLC (Springhill), John S. Turner Jr. (Bossier City), Vicki’s School of Dance (Benton).
$2,000 – Henry W. Cantrell Sr. (Benton), Logan Land Development LLC (Haughton).
$1,750 – The Cook Law Firm (Haughton).
$1,600 – C. B. Isom (Bossier City).
$1,500 – John W. Evans Jr. (Bossier City), FWM Mechanical Inc. (Minden), Jestora LLC (Shreveport), Wesley M. Pixley (Bossier City), Colton Sanders (Bossier City), Schuyler Marvin Campaign Committee (Minden).
$1,250 – Kyle Robinson (Bossier City), Craig L. Williams (Bossier City).
$1,150 – John W. Ward (Benton).
$1,000 – Auto Collision Specialists (Haughton), Bryce Transport Inc. (Minden), Lance Byrd (Benton), Grady Calrton Golden Jr. (Bossier City), Covington Company Inc. (Haughton), Norman Craig (Haughton), Larry Deen (Benton), East Highland Mobile Home Park No. 1 Inc. (Haughton), Fowler & Covington Company Inc. (Haughton), Herman Herman Katz & Coltar LLP (New Orleans), Jeffery A. Hiser (Bossier City).
Also: Fran Huckabay (Bossier City), Charles Jacobs (Springhill), James R. Woods Consulting (Haughton), Jeffery S. Norris APLC (Shreveport), John Gibbs Roof Systems (Bossier City), Keith W. Bush Insurance (Bossier City), Timothy A. Larkin (Bossier City), R.J. Lasseigne (Bossier City), Lynn Austin Campaign Fund (Bossier City), Billy Mason (Haughton), Moore Wireline of Shreveport, Daniel S. Moreland (Haughton), Ralph Whitley Builders (Bossier City), Sam Gregorio APLC (Shreveport), Sentell Law Firm LLC (Minden), Randall Wright (Ida), Southern Soil Environmental (Haughton), Charles W. Strickland (Shreveport).
John Slattery’s Top Contributors
Springhill City Judge John Slattery had a total of 136 contributors. Among them:
$2,500 – Barry Rock Oil Company (Plain Dealing), Bokero Partnership (Benton)021, Margaret C. Allen (Corpus Christi, TX), H&P Water Sales LLC (Minden), Barry L. Matlock (Plain Dealing), F.Q. and Joan Hood (Benton)
$2,000 – William Slattery (Shreveport).
$1,000 – James D. Madden (Minden), Gordon Davis Cole (Springhill), Ronnie Dees (Taylor, AR), G&P Wood Company (Cullen), Slattery Company Inc. (Shreveport), R.B. “Buddy” and Wanda Stinson (Cotton Valley).
Lou Gehrig Burnett is a seasoned veteran of national and local politics. He publishes Fax-Net Update, a weekly political newsletter.
