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MADISON - ST. CLAIR RECORD

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Democrat judicial candidates raise more than $200K in first quarter

Law money 03

BELLEVILLE – Campaign treasuries of four judicial candidates on the Democratic ticket held more than $200,000 as of April 1, their quarterly statements show. 

St. Clair County Associate Judge Christopher Kolker, running for circuit judge, reported $81,815.06 in available funds. 

Fifth District appellate court candidate Kevin Hoerner, private counsel for St. Clair County in civil litigation, reported $56,722.35. 

Associate Judge Heinz Rudolf, running for circuit judge, reported $36,682.02. 

Associate Judge John O’Gara, running for circuit judge, reported $27,301.49. 

Hoerner, Rudolf, and O’Gara, who all started the year with tiny treasuries, received a total of $176,537.15 in contributions. 

Kolker’s contributions shrank from $88,480 in last year’s fourth quarter to $2,370 in this year’s first quarter.  

The candidates mostly set their money aside, spending about $41,000 on signs, mail, advertising and such. 

They spent more than that supporting the party’s central committee. 

Rudolf and O’Gara each transferred $24,000 to the committee, Kolker transferred $14,000, and Hoerner transferred $5,000, for a total of $67,000. 

All four relied heavily on local lawyers. 

Tom Keefe’s firm in Swansea gave Hoerner $11,100, and Keefe gave him $5,600. 

His firm gave Rudolf and O’Gara $3,000 each, as it did for Kolker last year. 

Hoerner’s firm, Becker Hoerner, gave $5,000 each to Rudolf and O’Gara. 

Last year his firm gave Kolker $5,240. 

The asbestos firm of Gori Julian in Edwardsville, which gave Kolker $6,000 last year, gave Hoerner $2,500 in February. 

The firm of Crowder and Scoggins in Columbia, which gave Kolker $1,000 last year, gave O’Gara $2,000 in March. 

None of the Republican candidates for circuit judge reported any contributions. 

Katherine Ruocco spent $95,692.81, all of it her own. 

Former Associate Judge Laninya Cason and O’Fallon attorney Paul Evans hadn’t organized committees as of April 16.  

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