David Garcia Wins Will County Judge Primary

JOLIET, IL - There were two judicial races on the March 20 election ballot for Will County voters. One was a three-person contested Democratic primary race to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Will County Judge Daniel Rozak. In that race, David Garcia prevailed in a contest against two Will County lawyers, Moira Dunn, and Daniel O'Connell. "No matter what happens today, I want to thank everyone for their support and kindness," Garcia posted on Facebook Tuesday before the voters were totaled.

"From signing petitions to passing out literature; knocking on doors to putting out signs; from Wilmington to Bolingbrook; and from Wheatland to University Park, and everywhere in between we kept going. We put blisters on our feet, paper cuts on our fingers, and ink on our hands and we did a job well done."

Garcia thanked everyone who endorsed his candidacy and recommended him for the Circuit judge. "Most of all, thank you to my committee. It's been a long hard road, and no matter the election results, I'm proud of my team," he declared on social media.

Dunn had the backing of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, who endorsed her candidacy as part of a radio advertisement political ad campaign on her behalf. Dunn has worked as a criminal prosecutor in the Will County State's Attorney's Office.

Garcia, who is an associate Will County judge, netted 19,374 votes, which was 1,472 votes more than the next closest finisher, Dunn, who captured 17,902 votes, according to unofficial totals posted by the Will County Clerk's Office. O'Connell came in last, finishing with 10,785 votes. There were a total of 48,061 ballots cast in the Democratic primary race for judge, according to the clerk.

Garcia had a lot of support around Joliet, where there were hundreds of Garcia yard signs, more yard signs than his two opponents had displayed.

Rozak retired from the bench on Jan. 16 after serving in elected office since 2000. He had previously been an associate judge from 1995 until 2000.

RESULTS

With 100 percent of precincts reporting:

Democrats:

• David Garcia, currently an associate judge – 40%
• Moira Dunn, currently an assistant state's attorney – 37%
• Daniel O'Connell, a veteran Joliet attorney in private practice – 22%

On the Republican side, there was only one candidate running for the Rozak vacancy.

• Ben Braun, currently an associate judge – 100% Braun received 32,575 votes running unopposed in the Republican primary.

For the second judicial opening, the race to replace retiring Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes, there is one Democratic candidate and one candidate for the Republican nomination. (Joliet criminal defense attorney Bob Bodach withdrew his candidacy before the filing deadline in the Republican primary.)

• Democrat candidate, attorney Vincent Cornelius. Cornelius received 44,629 votes while facing no opposition in his Democratic primary.
• Republican candidate, Victoria McKay Kennison, currently associate judge. Kennison received 32,356 votes running unopposed in the Republican primary.

RELATED: Illinois Primary Election 2018 Races

Main Image via David Garcia for Judge Facebook page, image of James Glasgow via Joliet Patch Editor John Ferak