Campaigns and elections: Harrison raises $80K in 4Q, deadline today for Fifth vacancy

Madison County Associate Judge Clarence Harrison raised more than $80,000 in the fourth quarter for his campaign committee Citizens for Clarence Harrison.

Harrison is running for circuit judge in the Third Circuit to fill the vacancy left by former judge Ann Callis who resigned last May to run for Congress.

Harrison, a Democrat, will face St. Jacob attorney John Barberis, Republican, in the November general election.

The biggest contributor to the campaign was Harrison himself, who loaned his committee $20,000.

He also received 97 individual itemized contributions totaling $46,271.

Nine of those contributions were four figures, the largest - $3,000 – coming from the Law Offices of Christopher Cueto in Belleville.

Beth Gori and Gaye Julian, who are described as “philanthropists” in the State Board of Elections' finance report, donated $2,500 apiece. They are wives of the partners at asbestos firm Gori and Julian in Edwardsville – Randy Gori and Barry Julian.

Korein Tillery of St. Louis and the Goldenberg firm of Edwardsville also donated $2,500.

Gori and Julian donated $2,000. Becker, Schroader & Chapman of Granite City; Mary Ann Hatch of Belleville and Kurowski Shultz of Swansea each donated $1,000.

Harrison’s campaign committee also received $8,700 in non-itemized individual contributions as well as transfers from other committees, such as various labor groups and the Madison County Democratic Central Committee, totaling $5,100.

Barberis has not yet formed a campaign committee in his name.

Fifth District vacancy

In the meantime, an application deadline for a vacancy in the Fifth District Appellate Court is today, Jan. 31.

Justice James Wexstten of Mt. Vernon announced his retirement in December, and his last day on the job was Jan. 29.

Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier formed a committee to review applications. The committee will relay its findings to Karmeier, who will then make a recommendation to the full Supreme Court which votes as a whole on appointments.

The person appointed to the vacancy will serve until the position is filled through the November 2016 general election. The appointment will terminate Dec. 5, 2016.