Kuhnke and Fink lead the way in Washtenaw County's 22nd Circuit Court judicial race
Carol Kuhnke watches results roll in at Heidelberg in Ann Arbor.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
Fink had 13,208 votes (41.4%) compared to Kuhnke's 9,493 (29.8%), while Erane Washington was in third place with 5,423 (17%) and Doug McClure was in last place with 3,689 (11.6%).
All four candidates are currently attorneys.
The top two vote-getters in Tuesday's judicial primary advance to the November general election where they'll compete for a chance to replace retiring Judge Melinda Morris.
Though judicial races are not partisan in Michigan, local Democrats tried to paint Fink as a conservative Republican who is both anti-choice and anti-gay during the campaign.
Fink declined to address those allegations at a judicial candidate forum in late June, saying only that he was running a nonpartisan campaign and he has support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Kuhnke, Washington and McClure are all Democrats.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
Judy
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 4:16 p.m.
Connors in a resist case a Plaintiff I know sent a Defendant a hearing notice that costing $100 dollars, first by certified mail, that the Defendant was notified 3 times to pick-up and choose not to, then by 1st class mail. The Plaintiff took time off work showed up to the hearing the Defendant did not show at the hearing and Judge Connors stated he would not make a judgment without input from the other party!!! This is the type of Bull that goes on with this judge. He needs to go!
genetracy
Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 1:29 p.m.
Well Tom, you seem pretty defensive of the person who wrote the anonymous letter. Funny how an attorney woulod approve of such unethical behavior.
Tom Wieder
Fri, Aug 10, 2012 : 8:01 p.m.
What's unethical about distributing true facts, verifiable from public records, without naming the distributor? Does that make every poster here - except those, like me, who use their real names - unethical? Is it unethical for news media to use anonymous sources?
A2Guy1
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 5:31 p.m.
"The Wieder doth protest too much." I wonder who wrote that anonymous letter, Tom.
Tom Wieder
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 6:31 p.m.
Let's see...I always use my real name on all my posts, and you post anonymously, and you want to take me on regarding anonymity?
Gregory Dodd
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 4:35 p.m.
This may only be anecdotal, but $115,855.00 was donated to the four judicial candidates in this race (based on their reports through July 22, 2012). Of that total, here is the percentage of the money and the percentage of the votes that each candidate received: Fink: 39.52 % of the money, 41.43% of the votes; Kuhnke: 27.37% of the money, 29.78% of the votes; Washington: 20.76% of the money, 17.01% of the votes; McClure: 12.33% of the money, 11.57% of the vote. Do votes follow the money? Pretty closedly, it appears.
Ann23
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 5:40 p.m.
Or, does the money follow the supporters? In other words, maybe it's the other way around and the amount of money donated to the candidates directly relates to how many supporters the candidate has.
chawn a whitsitt
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 3:53 p.m.
The fact that Erane Washington received zero major endorsements is troubling. Representation and diversity are essential to continue a democratic process and society, leaving out divergent views and representations of the populace may lead to more conflict and cultural misunderstandings.
David Cahill
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 1:54 p.m.
I hope that the Washington and McClure supporters will rally around Kuhnke in November. The contrast could not be clearer: Kuhnke is a pro-choice Democrat. Fink is a conservative Republican and a former policeman.
genetracy
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 3:39 p.m.
Yeah rigth, Ann Arbor needs more activist judges like Melinda Morris. The criminals love her.
Tom Wieder
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 9:41 a.m.
@genetracy- Tom Wieder 5:39 AM on 8/8/2012 I think you're confused. What "slanderous" "letters" are you talking about? Can you identify anything false that was said about Fink? His contributions of thousands of dollars to arch-conservative Republican candidates, including judges, are a matter of public record, as is his support of the petition drives to limit reproductive choice and to ban gay marriages and civil unions, and his willingness, alone among the 4 candidates, to take support from anti--choice groups like Right-to-Life. As for what the majority of voters did, 58.36% of the voters supported one of the 3 pro-choice, Democratic-identified candidates.
Machine
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 8:06 p.m.
Posting random comments on AnnArbor.com is one thing. Anonymity on here is accepted - look at the comments for this article. You should also be criticizing thegreenhornet, amlive, GP, West Side Mom, and many others. However, if I was going to a symposium and placing letters entitled "What Washtenaw Democrats Should Know About Jim Fink" on every chair in the house, I would not be hiding behind the veil of anonymity and embarrassing my political party.
Tom Wieder
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 6:35 p.m.
@Machine - So, is "Machine" your real name, and, if so, is it your first or last, or are you like Cher and Prince, who only use one? If it's not your real name, and you're posting anonymously, you are the last person to criticize someone for distributing factual material anonymously.
Machine
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 11:12 a.m.
Regardless of how you feel about the letter, surreptitiously distributing an anonymous letter is cowardly and pathetic behavior and whoever did it should be ashamed. They should either keep their mouth shut or sign their name to such a letter. Underhanded, dishonorable actions like that make the person being attacked look that much better by comparison.
amlive
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 5:03 a.m.
I was really hoping to see Kuhnke and Washington head to the November ballot, but oh well. Hopefully Washington's base will transfer over to Kuhnke in the main election (I can't see them going to Fink), and she will win the position. As to the "hatchett job by the local dems on Jim Fink", I think the pairing of Fink signs in yards next to Walberg signs speak loudly enough on their own.
genetracy
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 4:41 a.m.
It looks like the hatchett job by the local dems on Jim Fink with their anonymous and slanderous letters really worked. I am glad the majority of the voters thought otherwise.
Tom Wieder
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 9:39 a.m.
I think you're confused. What "slanderous" "letters" are you talking about? Can you identify anything false that was said about Fink? His contributions of thousands of dollars to arch-conservative Republican candidates, including judges, are a matter of public record, as is his support of the petition drives to limit reproductive choice and to ban gay marriages and civil unions, and his willingness, alone among the 4 candidates, to take support from anti--choice groups like Right-to-Life. As for what the majority of voters did, 58.36% of the voters supported one of the 3 pro-choice, Democratic-identified candidates.
brian
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 3:07 a.m.
You go Jim Fink. You taught me a lot at the Sheriff's Department. Your the man for the job. I was only a reserve deputy but I really looked up to you. Good luck Sir.
GP
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 2:22 a.m.
I figured the boys club would win this one. It is such a loss to this county to not have elected Erane Washington.
tinkerbell
Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 10:11 p.m.
Erane Washington is useless as a lawyer much less a judge
MaryT
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 10:27 p.m.
No. It's not a loss.
Theresa
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 6:12 p.m.
Why did the "boys club" win when the 2nd top vote f or judge was a woman?
thegreenhornet
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 1:57 a.m.
The only people that did not vote for Carol Kuhnke for circuit judge are the ones who dont know her. Get to know her before November. She is the cream of the crop and has a perfect judicial temperament. She listens. She does not demean. She is even tempered. She is extremely smart. She is the perfect replacement for Melinda Morris.
GP
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 2:24 a.m.
But will she cave to the pressure that is the boys club that makes up the other judges or is she a rebel who has a mind of her own and follows the law?
West Side Mom
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 1:53 a.m.
NP D22 Circuit Ct Judge James A. Fink 2840 43.14% Carol Kuhnke 2005 30.46% Douglas G. McClure 781 11.86% Erane C. Washington 944 14.34% Write-In 13 0.20% http://electionresults.ewashtenaw.org/aug2012/indexreport.html
thegreenhornet
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 1:58 a.m.
These are NOT the results. The last results have Kunhke beating fink by nearly 1,250 votes.
Corey Fellabaum
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 1:13 a.m.
http://electionresults.ewashtenaw.org/aug2012/cumulativereport.html NP D22 Circuit Ct Judge Tuesday, Aug 07, 2012 09:08:37 PM James A. Fink 594 51.56% Carol Kuhnke 307 26.65% Douglas G. McClure 175 15.19% Erane C. Washington 75 6.51% Write-In 1 0.09% Why do the county election page say different?