Campaign contributions for Madison County circuit judge candidates remain slow for most candidates as the Nov. 8 election nears.
Campaign documents show that Democrat Associate Judge Ryan Jumper, who is running against Republican attorney Tim Berkley, received almost all of his contributions from local attorneys and plaintiff firms for the reporting period running from July 1 through Sept. 30.
Jumper’s campaign committee, Friends of Ryan Jumper, filed his quarterly report on Oct. 10, reporting a total of $17,380 in contributions for the quarter. Specifically, Jumper received $16,300 in itemized individual contributions, $530 in not itemized individual contributions, $450 in itemized transfers in and $100 in not itemized transfers in.
Contributions to Jumper’s campaign committee include $5,000 from the law firm Walton Telken LLC on July 22, $2,500 from the law firm Pratt & Tobin PC on Sept. 7, $5,000 from the asbestos firm The Gori Law Firm PC on Sept. 20, $1,000 from attorney Ann Callis of Holland Law Firm on Sept. 19 and $1,000 from attorney Alan Pirtle of Brown & Crouppen on Sept. 30. He also reported $12,000 from the asbestos firm Simmons Hanly Conroy on Oct. 5, $2,500 from Jeffrey Lantz of Lantz Homes on Oct. 11 and $1,000 from attorney Robert Elovitz on Oct. 14, which were received beyond the reporting period.
Jumper also reported $26,328.60 in total expenditures.
Berkley’s campaign committee, Citizens to Elect Berkley, filed his quarterly report on Oct. 17, reporting a total of $8,022.29 in contributions. Specifically, he has received $4,600 in itemized individual contributions, $2,162.29 in not itemized individual contributions, $1,000 in itemized transfers in and $260 in not itemized transfers in.
Berkley received a $1,000 contribution from Laura Barberis on Sept. 9. He also received $10,000 from the Illinois Republican Party on Oct. 17 and contributed a $5,100 loan on Oct. 17, which were both filed beyond the reporting period.
Berkley reported a total of $10,392.53 in expenditures for the quarter.
Jumper and Berkley are running for the vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Judge William Mudge.
Former Associate Judge Barry Julian, a Democrat, again reported the most contributions for the quarter. Records indicate that he is primarily self-funding his campaign with loans received by the Friends of Barry Julian campaign committee.
According to Julian’s quarterly report, which was filed Oct. 16, he has received a total of $120,219.05. Of those contributions, $120,000 were loans.
Specifically, Julian contributed a $20,000 loan on July 8, $50,000 on Aug. 8 and $50,000 on Sept. 13. He also contributed another $65,000 loan after the reporting period on Oct. 6.
Additionally, Julian’s campaign committee received $217.88 in itemized “other receipts” and $1.17 in not itemized “other receipts.”
Julian’s total expenditures during the quarter were $60,128.26.
Republican Circuit Judge Chris Threlkeld’s campaign committee, Citizens for Threlkeld, reported $12,530.85 in total contributions for the quarter, according to his report filed Oct. 16.
Specifically, he received $8,912.91 in itemized individual contributions, $2,652.94 in not itemized individual contributions, $500 in itemized transfers in and $465 in not itemized transfers in.
During the reporting period, Threlkeld’s campaign committee reported three contributions in excess of $1,000, including contributions from Barbara Sherer on Aug. 21, Jananne Threlkeld on Aug. 29 and Donald Weder on Aug. 29.
Threlkeld reported a total of $16,439.74 in expenditures from July 1 through Sept. 30.
Julian and Threlkeld are pursuing 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. Threlkeld was appointed to fill Dugan’s vacancy in 2020 and is now running for a four-year term in the seat he currently occupies.
Democrat candidate Ebony Huddleston’s campaign committee, Citizens for Ebony Huddleston, filed her quarterly report on Oct. 11. She reported a total of $3,932.34 in contributions. Specifically, she received $3,500 in itemized individual contributions and $432.34 in not itemized individual contributions.
Huddleston’s contributions included $1,000 from Roderick Anderson on Sept. 9 and $1,000 from the plaintiff firm Pratt & Tobin PC on Sept. 9.
Huddleston’s campaign committee also reported a total of $11,141.94 in expenditures.
Republican Circuit Judge Amy Sholar’s campaign committee, Citizens for Judge Sholar, reported a total of $16,895 in contributions.
According to her quarterly report filed Oct. 5, Sholar received $10,000 in itemized individual contributions, $5,820 in not itemized individual contributions, $750 in itemized transfers in and $225 in not itemized transfers in.
Sholar reported several contributions in excess of $1,000. Specifically, she received $1,000 from defense attorney Jeff Hebrank on July 8, $5,500 from Nancy Demond on Sept. 11, $5,500 from Lance DeMond on Sept. 11, $5,200 from Bon-Air Realty LLC on Sept. 11 and $11,806.83 from Arrow Custom Signs, Lighting & Outdoor Advertising Inc. on Sept. 11. She also reported $1,000 from Barbara Sherer on Oct. 6 and $1,000 from Mitchell Highlander LLC on Oct. 6, which was received after the reporting period.
Sholar’s campaign committee reported $32,802.97 in total expenditures.
Huddleston and Sholar are pursuing the vacancy created by the retirement of former Circuit Judge Richard Tognarelli. Sholar was appointed to Tognarelli’s vacancy in 2021 and is now running for the seat she currently occupies.