From the St. Louis Post Dispatch

Candidates discuss malpractice
By FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Illinois Supreme Court candidates Lloyd Karmeier and
Gordon Maag discussed their differences during a rare joint appearance
Tuesday, despite being unable to debate the issues.
Republican Karmeier, a Washington County Circuit Court judge, told students
at Southern Illinois University that he would bring balance to a court
dominated by judges from St. Clair and Madison counties.
Democrat Maag, an Appellate Court justice who lives in Glen Carbon, told
the group that he was aware of the rising medical malpractice insurance
rates that some say are driving doctors out of Illinois.
The two candidates did not answer questions from the floor or debate.
Each is barred by Supreme Court rules from revealing his position on any
given issue before the court or to reveal how he would vote.
The Metro East area has developed a national reputation as being overly
friendly to plaintiffs in big lawsuits and medical malpractice cases, and
Karmeier, of Nashville, has received backing from groups that support caps
on damage awards.
"I think I, as a judge from a small community outside the Metro East area
that's suffered the brunt of the current criticism, can bring a sense of
balance and a sense of fairness to this court," he told law students who
had gathered to hear the candidates review their qualifications.
Maag took the podium and said his job as vice chairman of a St. Louis
children's hospital has made him intimately aware of rising medical
malpractice insurance costs in Illinois.
Physicians in several towns say those rates are driving them out of
Illinois. Maag called on the Legislature to act.
"I'm not permitted to sit up here and advance a specific legislative
solution," he told the audience. "But I wholeheartedly believe we do need
legislative action, and we need it immediately."
Earlier in the day, four mayors from Southern Illinois announced their
support for Karmeier's campaign.
Mayors Bob Graham of O'Fallon, Bob Butler of Marion, Ron Williams of
Murphysboro and Brad Cole of Carbondale expressed their support at news
conferences where they appeared with Karmeier.
Graham, a Republican, said his decision hinges on the issue of tort reform."People need to realize that, once elected, the Supreme Court judge will
not have to run again for 10 years," Graham said. "So if we don't get some
tort reform now, it will be a long time before we get some relief."