From WSIL TV:
January 28, 2008.
Race for Appellate Judge
WSIL -- News 3 has been profiling local races in the days leading up to Super Tuesday. Now we focus on the two Democrats running for 5th district appellate judge. With no Republicans seeking the office the stakes are very high for the primary election.
Whoever wins then will win the position and so the candidates have been battling it out. Incumbent appellate Judge James Wexstten landed the endorsement of the southern Illinois doctors at a press conference on Friday. The judge has spent the last 30 years in the courtroom. With the last 20 behind the bench. In February the Illinois supreme court appointed him to the appellate court.
"And so what's the best experience to be an appellate court is to have first been a trial court and made those decisions," said Wexstten.
Wexstten's opponent is Judy Cates a well known trial lawyer. With more than twenty years of experience in court.
"I think the people of southern Illinois need a judge that they can trust, and that has no agenda and that does not believe politics should be in the courtroom," said Cates.
Cates says she is for the people and that her opponent is not. Cates has accused Judge Wexstten of accepting large cash donations from out of state Republicans.
"I think those are investments in justice those are not donations," said Cates.
"No one who has supported me, not these doctors, not any of those other constituencies have asked for anything in exchange, nor would they get anything if they asked," replied Wexstten.
Both candidates say the campaign has been a rough road with a lot of mudslinging in both directions.
By Ryan Kruger