2022 election preview: County judge Seat 1: LeAnn Mackey-Barnes vs. Renee Thompson
Two months ago, lawyers Renee Thompson and LeAnn Mackey-Barnes were separated by fewer than 4,000 votes in a three-candidate race for county judge.
Now, these two top vote recipients are ready for the general election on Nov. 8, when voters will choose one to take the place of retiring County Judge Jim McCune, who leaves the bench at the end of the year.
The race is nonpartisan. The winner will serve a six-year term with an annual salary of $156,377.
County judge race: County judge Seat 1: LeAnn Mackey-Barnes, Danielle B. Ruse, Renee Thompson
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In the August primary, Thompson had 40.44 percent of the vote (28,037) to Mackey-Barnes' 35.55 percent (24,645.) Danielle Ruse had 24.01 percent, or 16,643 votes. Since no candidate got 50 percent of the vote plus one, the top two moved on to the November general election.
Since the Aug. 23 primary, Thompson and Mackey-Barnes have continued to raise money for their respective campaigns.
According to the Supervisor of Elections Office website, from Aug. 19 through Sept. 2, Thompson's campaign took in $850. Then, from Sept. 3 to Sept. 16, it took in $2,750. Between Sept. 17 and Sept. 30, the campaign received $100. The campaign's in-kind contributions were $615.
Thompson's contributions came from law firms, lawyers, a Realtor and an individual.
In the same time for Mackey-Barnes, there was an expenditure of $4,972.10, and $1,000 was contributed to the campaign. No in-kind contributions were reported.
All of Mackey-Barnes' contributions came from individuals.
About Renee Thompson
Thompson, in an interview with a Star-Banner reporter, said there's no set amount she wants to raise. She does say that more money is expected to come in to the campaign.
Thompson's husband, Tommy, is a sitting judge. It wouldn't be unusual if both served on the bench in the same judicial circuit. In the past 20 years, there have been instances where a married couple have been selected to serve in the same circuit.
As the campaign nears an end, Thompson said she has been attending meet-and-greet sessions and various other forums.
"It's been wonderful to meet people," Thompson said.
Thompson said her campaign has been ongoing since January, and described it as a long stretch. She has managed campaigning while at the same time maintaining a law practice and being a mediator. She's a mediator at Upchurch, Watson, White & Max and owner of Thompson Law Center.
The longtime lawyer's message to those who come in contact with her is "how much I care about the community."
She said she enjoys talking with voters, whom she has found to be "engaged and excited." The lawyer said the job is going to require an attorney who has a civil background, and she has that experience, with more than 20 years of working in the field.
Thompson said judges hold "a position of public trust." She said she would "follow the law, uphold the Florida and U.S. Constitution, and treat people fairly and with courtesy."
About LeAnn Mackey-Barnes
Mackey-Barnes said she used surplus from the primary campaign to spend on things needed going forward. She said she plans on raising more funds for the remaining time left in the campaign.
Similar to Thompson, Mackey-Barnes said she's going to meet-and-greet sessions and other social activities to spread the word about her campaign.
A longtime assistant public defender, Mackey-Barnes said one of the challenges she has encountered on the campaign trail is letting people know the race is not over.
"I'm telling people that there's a runoff," she said. "I'm keeping the momentum going, as there's still a lot of work left to be done."
Mackey-Barnes said she's "trying to get to as many places as I can and meet many people as I can while still working."
At campaign stops, Mackey-Barnes said her message is to let people know about her work and community experience. She said she has worked on both the civil and criminal dockets, is a supervisor, and has practiced in front of every judge in Marion County.
"I'm the only candidate endorsed by the North Central Florida Central Labor Council," she said.
If elected, she said, she plans to meet with present judges to see what's working and areas that need to be addressed. She said she wants to meet with staff from other entities, such as the Veterans Court, to see what they need.
On the bench, Mackey-Barnes said, she will follow the law.
CANDIDATES
LeAnn Mackey-Barnes
Family: Married with children
Education: University of Florida Levin College of Law; BA in criminology and sociology from UF.
Work experience: Special education teacher; works at the Public Defender's Office, where she has handled felony, misdemeanor and juvenile criminal cases. Presently, she's the chief attorney managing what amounts to the second-largest law office in Marion County. Helped created the county's Veterans Treatment, Mental Health Courts and Community Legal Services Juvenile Expungement program; assisted with educating law enforcement and hospital staff with Baker Act and Marchman Act cases; former volunteer judge at Teen Court.
Community service: Board member for Pace Center for Girls of Marion County; Kiwanis Club; volunteer lawyer for Community Legal Services handling juvenile expungement program; chairman for the Florida High School Athletic Association Appeals Committee; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; winner of the Richard Custureri Pro Bono Attorney of the year award; Diamond Hearts Community Service Award; recognized by the Florida Supreme Court for community Service.
Renee Thompson
Family: Married
Education: University of South Florida, BS, magna cum laude, honors program; UF College of Law, JD with honors.
Work experience: Civil lawyer and mediator for more than 20 years; mediator at Upchurch, Watson, White & Max; owner of Thompson Law Center; adjunct professor at UF College of Law, Technology and Practice Management; former partner at Mateer & Harbert PA; former associate lawyer at Siboni, Hamer & Buchanan PA; Florida Super Lawyer list since 2015; former Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star list since 2009.
Community service: Past president of Marion County Bar Association; Leadership Ocala Marion Alumni, Class XXI; Marion high school moot court and trial team coach; Served for eight years on Florida Bar Board of Governors and has received four Presidential Awards of Merit for bar service; inaugural chair of the Florida Bar Leadership Academy; Florida Association of Women Lawyers Leader in the Law.
ELECTION DETAILS
Early voting: Oct. 27 to Nov. 5.
Mail ballot request deadline: 5 p.m. Oct. 29
Election Day: Nov. 8. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mail ballots must be received at the elections office by 7 p.m.
For more information, visit votemarion.gov.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: County judge race in Marion County, Florida: Mackey-Barnes vs. Thompson
