JUDICIAL RACE WILL BE GOING...TO COURT!

Judicial races are usually uneventful, rarely attracting a great deal of attention. But one local race for a new seat created by the Legislature this year could be decided in a Tallahassee courtroom instead at the ballot box.

Bartow attorney and candidate for the Tenth Judicial Circuit Group 28 seat Nathaniel White filed a lawsuit Friday against Secretary of State Sue M. Cobb and his opponent, State Representative John Stargel of Lakeland, alleging that Stargel is guilty of several election law violations relating to the transfer and use of contributions.

Stargel had originally qualified to run for reelection to his State House seat, but withdrew and filed to run for the judgeship after the Florida Supreme Court decided that at least some of the judicial seats created during the Legislative session could be elected instead of appointed by the governor.

The lawsuit asks for either the Lakeland Republican's removal from the ballot, or an injuction which would prohibit Stargel from using the approximately $50,000 he originally raised for his House reelection campaign for the judicial race.

White alleges that at least some of the money in question came from special interest groups which may appear before him if elected, prohibited under election rules for judicial contests. The legal action also alleges that Stargel improperly paid his filing fee for the judicial race with a check from his House reelection campaign fund, and that Stargel failed to contact donors within 15 days of his announcement to switch races and give them 30 days to request a refund of their contribution.