Madison County voters elected Republican candidates Stephen Stobbs and Amy Maher to fill two circuit judge vacancies.
Maher ran against State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons, Democrat, for the vacancy created by the retirement of former Chief Judge Dave Hylla.
Stobbs, who is currently an associate judge, ran against opponent Leslie Ann Wood, Democrat, for the vacancy created by the retirement of former Circuit Judge Andreas Matoesian.
With all 225 precincts reporting, Maher received 70,232 votes, or 53.4 percent, with Gibbons receiving 61,393 votes, or 46.6 percent.
Stobbs received 74,637 votes, or 56.9 percent, with Wood receiving 56,472 votes, or 43.1 percent.
The Madison County judiciary currently is comprised mostly of Democratic members - 12 of 13 appointed associate judges and six of seven circuit judges. Stobbs is the lone Republican appointed judge and Chris Threlkeld is the lone Republican circuit judge, sitting by appointment to the Hylla vacancy.
The seat of former circuit judge David Dugan, Republican, recently appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, will likely go to a Republican appointee. That's because the Supreme Court race was won by Republican David Overstreet. Either he or the retiring Republican Justice Lloyd Karmeier would influence the Dugan vacancy appointment.
That would put three Republicans on the Madison County bench.
“I am honored and humbled at the overwhelming response by the voters," Stobbs stated in a press release. "From my first election to the County Board in 1998 I have served the people of Madison County and the Third Judicial Circuit for nearly 22 years. I am grateful that I will continue serving the people of Madison and Bond Counties as an elected Circuit Judge.”
"I have always believed the time for politics ends when the campaign is over, and the time for public service begins," Maher wrote in a statement on her campaign's Facebook page. "We have reached that time in this cycle. For Republicans who hope, and for Democrats who fear, I will be a wrecking ball crashing through the system, please take note: that’s not my style and not my plan. I will stand by my principles and be the best judge I can be. I owe all of you that, whether you voted for me or not. So thank you, again, and it’s time to get to work."
Stobbs was previously appointed associate judge in 2006 after the county gained a new associate judge due to an increase in population.
Prior to his appointment, he was a partner with Stobbs & Sinclair in Godfrey and served as a Madison County board member. He is a graduate of St. Louis University and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Mich.
Maher served as an Assistant State's Attorney from 1989 to 2012. She began working for Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Springfield in 2013 and currently serves as Director of Operations. Maher is a graduate of Cornell College in Iowa and the University of Notre Dame Law School.
Maher also took time to thank those who she said helped her win the race.
"To my parents, Larry and Maureen Maher, who raised me to believe I could do anything, but that I also needed to be an active and engaged citizen," she wrote on her campaign's Facebook page. "I am sure my Mother and her parents, Judge Michael and Irma Kinney, are celebrating in Heaven today. (You were right Mom, I was meant to be a lawyer). To my husband, Roger Smith, who has stood by me through good times and bad, and who has weathered the storms of my contrarian political activities for 25+ years. To my brother and sister, Tim Maher and Erin Maher-Pierce, who helped me hone my arguing skills, but who always have my back. To my core campaign team, Congressman John Shimkus, Deb Detmers, Amy Sholar, Steve Tomaszewski, Jeremy Plank and Chris Guy, who guided me through a very challenging campaign in the times of COVID. In spite of my decades of campaign work, as first-time candidate I would’ve made all the rookie mistakes if they hadn’t been keeping me on track! To the many, many people who helped gather signatures, put out signs, talked to friends, and did all the other tough work of making a campaign successful, I have been there and I sincerely appreciate the effort I know you all put in. To the Madison County Republican Party, who have been working hard to make sure voters have a real choice when they go to the polls. You now have the majority, remember who you serve and use it well. To Senator William Haine, who gave me my start at the State’s Attorney’s Office and demonstrated true leadership and public service. To the late Coroner Dallas Burke, who was a friend and role model, and who inadvertently introduced me to Roger. To my many co-workers and friends at the County, who work hard every day doing the business of the people. I look forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones."
The campaign between Gibbons and Maher got heated when she called her opponent out on the release of Kwayera Jackson. She said Gibbons misrepresented the position his office had with clemency petitions of violent felons.
Jackson was convicted of killing his five-month-old son in 1998. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison in 2000, but was released early from prison this April when his petition went unopposed at a Prison Review Board public hearing in July 2019. He was then granted clemency by Governor JB Pritzker.
The campaign between Stobbs and Wood was mostly quiet.
Retention Results
Madison County voters also elected to retain Circuit Judges Dennis Ruth and Richard Tognarelli.
Ruth was retained with 71.5 percent voting for his retention and 28.5 percent voting against it.
Tognarelli was retained with 72.3 percent voting for his retention and 27.7 voting against it.