Campaign contributions have been slow for Madison County circuit judge candidates, according to the quarterly reports filed last month.
Former Associate Judge Barry Julian reported the most contributions for the reporting period running April 6 to June 30. Julian is running on the Democratic ticket for the vacancy of former Circuit Judge David Dugan, who is now serving as a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
Julian’s campaign committee, Friends of Barry Julian, filed his quarterly report on July 14, reporting a total of $25,250 in contributions and $6,500 in in-kind contributions.
Specifically, Julian reported an individual contribution from himself for $20,000 on May 5 and an in-kind contribution for $6,500 on June 13. He also contributed another $20,000 on July 8, which was filed beyond the quarterly reporting period.
Republican Circuit Judge Chris Threlkeld, who was appointed to fill Dugan’s vacancy, is running against Julian. He reported $6,733.83 in total contributions, according to his quarterly report filed July 13 through the campaign committee Citizens for Threlkeld.
Threlkeld reported two contributions in excess of $1,000. Specifically, he received $1,030.26 from attorney Brian Polinske of Polinske & Associates in Edwardsville and $1,000 from Jananne Threlkeld.
Democratic candidate Ebony Huddleston filed her quarterly report on July 14 through the campaign committee Citizens for Ebony Huddleston. Huddleston, who is running for the vacancy created by the retirement of former Circuit Judge Richard Tognarelli, reported $17,675 in total contributions.
Huddleston’s contributions include $10,000 from the Gori Law Firm in Edwardsville, $1,000 from Kimberly Garver of Glen Carbon, $1,000 from Ann Callis of the Holland Law Firm, and $2,007.52 for yard signs from Mark’s Quick Printing Inc. of St. Louis.
Huddleston also received $1,000 from attorney Beth Gori during the reporting period, but had to return the funds due to state law that prohibits contributions from other states in judicial campaigns.
Republican Circuit Judge Amy Sholar, who was appointed to fill the Tognarelli vacancy, is running against Huddleston. Her campaign committee, Citizens for Judge Sholar, filed a quarterly report on July 8, reporting $1,676 in total contributions for the reporting period.
Sholar did not list any contributions in excess of $1,000 during the reporting period. More recently, however, Sholar received a $1,000 contribution from attorney Jeff Hebrank of Highland on July 8.
For the vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Judge William Mudge, Democrat Associate Judge Ryan Jumper is running against Republican attorney Tim Berkley.
Jumper’s campaign committee, Friends of Ryan Jumper, filed a quarterly report on July 4. He reported $15,780 in total contributions.
Specifically, Jumper received $5,000 from the campaign committee Rachelle Aud Crowe for Senate, $2,500 from Anderson Jumper and a $2,500 loan from himself. He also received $5,000 from the Walton Telken law firm in Edwardsville on July 22, which was submitted after the reporting period.
A statement of organization for Berkley’s campaign committee, Committee to Elect Berkley, was filed July 22. Because the committee was formed after the filing period, he did not yet have any reported finances.