Endorsement
Fayette County Common Pleas Court Voters going to the polls often have a tough time finding candidates they really like. Sometimes none of the candidates seem like the right person for the job, forcing voters to cast ballots for someone they feel is not really qualified for the job. But that’s certainly not been the case with candidates in Tuesday’s primary election. We’ve been impressed with many of the candidates in numerous races. In fact, we’ve faced many very difficult decisions in making our endorsements because the candidates have been so good.
And that’s certainly the case with the contest for judge of Fayette County Common Pleas Court. There the choices are between District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon, 53, and long-time attorney Ernest P. DeHass III, 61. They are running for the seat, which is being left vacant with the mandatory retirement of President Judge Conrad B. Capuzzi. Both South Union Township residents have cross-filed for the May 19 primary.
Both candidates have a wealth of experience to draw from if elected and both certainly would be fine additions to the Fayette County bench.
DeHaas, an attorney for more than 35 years, has encouraged voters to focus on his broad experience in civil cases. We feel “Ernie the Attorney,” as DeHaas is known, is an honest and intelligent attorney, though one that has never shown much interest in the public eye. And while his civil case experience is impressive-including a civil rights case early in his career that went before the U.S. Supreme Court-we are concerned with the lack of criminal case experience on his resume.
At 61, DeHaas won’t finish the 10-year term before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70, but that really shouldn’t be held against him.
Early on his campaign, DeHaas didn’t seem comfortable on the stump, failing to make a strong case for his candidacy. But DeHaas became more aggressive about making the case for himself as the campaign went on, and we’ve been impressed with how fast he’s learned the ins and outs of running for public office.
Vernon, an attorney of 29 years, argues that she has “vast courtroom experience” and points to her 10-year tenure as the county’s chief prosecutor as the main reason she should take a seat on the bench.
We feel Vernon, taking her second run at the bench after failing to get the nod in 2001, has gained valuable criminal experience during the last decade as the county’s district attorney that coincides neatly with time as a public defender and in private practice prior to that post. With drugs a major problem in the county, we have been impressed by Vernon, who revived the county’s drug task force and has proven to be efficient and effective working with police and investigators to tackle drugs in the area.
Already the county’s first female trial lawyer and first female district attorney, Vernon would be the county’s first female judge if elected. No one should vote for Vernon just because she’s a woman, but she’s certainly to be admired for being such a trailblazer.
In the end while both are talented, experienced attorneys, we feel Vernon’s extensive criminal experience, coupled with her wide civil background, make her more qualified for the post than DeHaas. Vernon has proven capable and effective as district attorney, and we feel she would make an excellent common pleas judge.
One other note worth pointing out is that since Vernon and DeHaas cross-filed it’s possible that one may win the Democratic primary while the other wins the Republican contest. If that happens, they would square off again in the fall.
While both candidates are trying desperately to avoid that fate, if voters render a split verdict, the race would definitely add some luster to the fall election and result in one of the most spirited campaigns in the political history of Fayette County.