Connors and Kuhnke win in Washtenaw County 22nd Circuit Court judicial races
Newly elected Circuit Judge Carol Kuhnke speaks to a crowd as she thanks them for their support through the election while at an election night party at Weber's Inn on Tuesday.
Courtney Sacco I AnnArbor.com
Woodyard, an assistant Wayne County prosecutor, was hoping to unseat Connors, but the final tally shows Connors with 75.7 percent of the vote.
Jim Fink gets an update on election coverage with his nephew Matthew Heddle at The Tap Room in Ypsilanti on Tuesday.
Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com
Kuhnke, a pro-choice Democrat from Ann Arbor, worked in the final days of the campaign to draw distinctions between her and Fink, a pro-life Republican from Ypsilanti.
"I'm the only person running in my race who believes in marriage equality," she told a crowd of Democrats at a rally on the University of Michigan campus Monday night. "I'm the only person running in my race who believes in a woman's right to chose what happens to her body."
According to PrideSource.com, this makes Kuhnke, an openly gay adoptive mother of two, the first lesbian judge elected in Michigan.
Connors came under fire in the finals days before the election for accepting thousands of dollars in campaign donations from attorneys with cases pending before him in court. Woodyard didn't make an issue of it, but others did, including his boss, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
While Connors made headlines for donations to his campaign, Woodyard made waves on YouTube by posting a video of himself dancing to "Gangnam Style" in front of the courthouse.
Watch it below:
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
Roadman
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 10:33 p.m.
"Connors came under fire in the final days before the election for accepting thousands of dollars in campaign donations from attorneys with cases pending before the court................" I hope that there will be media coverage of the hearing scheduled on the Wayne County Prosecutor's motion to disqualify Connors from that case. I can recall annarbor.com publishing a few article about the criminal charges and felony arraignment of circuit court jury administrator Kimberly Elmer for allegedly misaproriating thousands of dollars in court funds to her own use. No further coverage after that. Why not? Whatever happened to that serious case of putative misconduct by a court official.
jcj
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 1:26 p.m.
"I hope that there will be media coverage of the hearing scheduled on the Wayne County Prosecutor's motion to disqualify Connors from that case." And I hope those with vendetta's against Judge Connors will give it a rest when the Wayne County Prosecutor's motion to disqualify case is dismissed.
leaguebus
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 10:16 p.m.
Black judges, brown judges, white judges, gay judges.... Gosh, we have a cross section of America here! Good for Ms Kuhnke.
Silverbear Heart
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 5:25 p.m.
Remove the Crime Boss foot solider, David T. Fischer from the Judaical Tenure Commission.
Silverbear Heart
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 11:47 p.m.
Are the two Fischer's related Paul and David? I know Richard Fischer is, his wife is on my blog.
Roadman
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 5:52 p.m.
The executive director of the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission is Paul J. Fischer.
Superior Twp voter
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 3:55 p.m.
"According to PrideSource.com, this makes Kuhnke, an openly gay adoptive mother of two, the first lesbian judge elected in Michigan." Wow, now there is something to be proud of.
David Cahill
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 3:21 p.m.
Congrats to Judge-Elect Kuhnke and Judge Re-Elect Connors! Both will represent the broad general interest, rather than the special interests of their defeated opponents. One result of the end of the campaign season is that AnnArbor.com will be spared the quite odd comments of the Woodyard supporters - all two or three of them. I wonder what Woodyard's real agenda in running a plainly hopeless race was. I suppose we'll never know....
jcj
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 1:17 p.m.
Roadman "Mr. Woodyard astutely made Connors' past campaign problems with the Judicial Tenure Commission an election issue. " Yea just think if Woodyard had not been so astute he would have lost 95% to 5% LOL. "Connors' conduct in the Jenny's Market case was also heavily criticized." Yea by all three Woodyard supporters. LOL.
YpsiGreen
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:24 p.m.
"Both will represent the broad general interest, rather than the special interests of their defeated opponents." How does an openly gay Democrat reflect the 'broad general interest' of the people? And tell me how a supposedly non-partisan race turns into name calling, label-affixing contest?
Roadman
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 5:59 p.m.
Timothy Connors is not "out of the woods" yet as he is facing a motion for disqualification from Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in the Neal case for accepting a total of $8,000.00 in campaign contributions from 6 of the 8 plaintiffs' attorneys. Mr. Woodyard astutely made Connors' past campaign problems with the Judicial Tenure Commission an election issue. Connors' conduct in the Jenny's Market case was also heavily criticized. The media needs to investigate further the tight relationships betwwen Connors and certain members of the plaintiffs' bar - including the Bredells and Dick Soble.
jns131
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 3:09 p.m.
Anything is better then Conners. Wish someone else took his place. Not a great judge and too lenient.
spaceman
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 2:56 p.m.
Oh thanks Goodness that Carol Kuhnke got elected., Now she can, as a 22nd district judge, establish Gay Marriage and protect abortion rights in Michigan and America! Those are cases before the 22nd district court, right?
dsponini
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 2:23 p.m.
Woodyard...what an embarrassment!
Roadman
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:09 p.m.
Judge Connors' performance has been an embarrassment. Numerous Court of Appeals reversals and a Judicial Tenure Commission citation that was adverted to by Mike Woodyard in his campaign did not paint a pretty picture. The incumbency ballot designation coupled with the massive campaign funding from local trial lawyers made the difference.
jcj
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 1:37 p.m.
Time will tell if Kuhnke is an improvement over Morris.
Silverbear Heart
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 11:18 a.m.
The Fink family has had control and influence for a long time. Jim Fink may have to thank his family for a defeat. " Is Romney stacking the Deck" http://mittromney2012potus.blogspot.com/2012/07/is-romney-in-background-stacking-deck.html From my sources, Mitt Romney's Bain Capital is under and investigation along with his longtime partner Robert Gay. Some may remember Robert Gay's commercials talking about what a good guy Mitt is for shutting down Bain Capital to search for his daughter. The Romney family has not been so kind to other children and families however. David T. Fischer, Mitt Romney's head financial head for his 2012 needs to be removed from the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission. Fischer is compromised. Reasons for the need to remove David T. Fischer are found ton the two blog links given http://mittromney2012potus.blogspot.com/2012/10/exposing-romney-interview-with-debbie.html To read more about Romeny and Robert Gay also go to the blog The Real Mitt Romney the Weather-Vane Candidate links above will take one to the blog.
Silverbear Heart
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 11:48 p.m.
mis-spelled, should be Jentzen not Jessen
Silverbear Heart
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 4:27 p.m.
You mean after you all battered and stole everything you could? You mean after my kids were threatened to be silence – You mean after Jessen said the same thing on the assault of my child to 'forget about it' and deals were made to defraud and protect a predator. Pigs and you call yourself religious. Mitt Romney's Bain Capital in under an investigation, as is his partner Robert Gay. Gay is the son of a man known as the head of the Mormon Mafia. Stop destroying people's lives. Your response is that of a typical batter and bully. At least I am not calling for a boycott of Fischer and Suburban dealerships - yet. David T. Fischer needs to be removed from the Judicial Tenure Commission.
jcj
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 1:26 p.m.
Get a life! Move on!
YpsiGirl4Ever
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:25 a.m.
Well, we guess Woodyard can take himself, the dancing crew, Kym Worthy's comments in a Washtenaw County race, back to Wayne County. Just saying...