There were surprises in the most recent primary election for the two vacant judgeships in Luzerne County. The biggest surprise was not in who won but found in the list of those who did not.

Two of the top three vote-getters were not among the surprises: District Magistrate William Amesbury of Wilkes-Barre was always a front runner, as was Richard Hughes of Mountain Top.

Tina Polachek-Gartley was a surprise winner by most counts. However at The Times Leader we were not shocked by her victory. While in politics she was largely an unknown, she had a strong interview with our editorial endorsement committee. We found her impressive when we talked to her. She stood out from the field.

Many of us wondered if we would remember her since she was the first of the 17 candidates we interviewed. But her background, commitment to victims’ rights, and an unassuming, humble but confident demeanor left its mark with us. She received five of six votes from the individuals on the committee.

And as the campaign entered its last days before the voting I talked with several persons not employed at the newspaper who had heard her at campaign events. They, too, were impressed. It seemed as though her community support was building.

But she raised a small amount of money — less than $40,000 — and her name was far from a household word in political circles. And while the judicial candidates were all careful to point out they were not politicians in the classic sense, the truth is they were running for election. That’s politics by anyone’s definition.

I have waited a week, now almost two, for the dust to settle as I tried to analyze why some of the candidates did not fare better at the polls.

The key determinants were outlined quite well in a Times Leader analysis by Terrie Morgan-Besecker and my view is not much different than those reported in her story the day after the election. Here’s what contributed to three victories: geography, the number of candidates in the field, party affiliation and gender.

Amesbury had my attention from the start. He had almost 500 people at his announcement event. No one else had that many persons show up to support them on the first day of their official campaign. He also has served for many years as a magistrate and is well-known and well-respected.

The corps of magistrates in this county is a tight-knit group and they stick together, support one another. That created an invaluable network for Amesbury that was impossible to overcome for the other candidates.

He is the only person who is “from” Wilkes-Barre. Besides all that he is affable, enjoys a good reputation as a magistrate, and has been a lifelong volunteer coaching youth sports and other community activities. He has a background in social work, as well.

His total number of votes from both parties — he, like all the other candidates, was on both the Democratic and Republican ballots — makes him appear almost unbeatable in the fall.

Hughes lives in the Mountain Top area and enjoys popular support in that community. He is blessed by what can only be termed “a judicial demeanor.” It’s comforting to be in his presence. He is earnest. His record as a lawyer, one with a lot of courtroom experience, is an advantage.

He also had the endorsement of the Republican Party in Luzerne County.

Polachek-Gartley benefited from more than gender, but being a woman helped. While it should not be the determinant, in my opinion, gender is important for a semblance of balance on the court. Put that aside and Polachek-Gartley has other qualities. She has been tireless throughout her career working for victims’ rights and she is convincing in her ardor for their plight. Empathy is not a popular term in some circles these days when talking about judges. That was a criterion for President Barack Obama when he chose Sonia Sotomayor this week as his nominee to replace Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court.

I happen to think empathy matters. Polachek-Gartley has it.

There are pockets in this county where votes can be delivered because of a candidate’s ZIP code. Pittston comes to mind. So does Hazleton. There were several candidates from the Pittston area, either living there now or having grown up there. Those folks split lots of votes. It hurt several of them.

Hazleton was a strong area for candidate Daniel Zola whose father is a magistrate. I say that to take nothing away from his candidacy or qualifications. It’s just a fact that Hazleton voters supported him heavily.

Since I believe Amesbury is as close to a shoe-in as any candidate can be at this point, the other seat on the bench will be hotly contested between Polachek-Gartley and Hughes. Democrats have a 2-1 registration advantage over Republicans in the county so that means Hughes will have to draw Democratic votes to win. A judge’s position should be non-partisan, in my view, and that should help him if others feel that way, as well.

Hard as it may be to comprehend, we actually need to look beyond the fall election for the courts.

There is a distinct possibility that two to three more vacancies could occur on the local bench. Normally, those seats would be filled by Governor Ed Rendell.

One way he could fill the vacancies, should they occur, would be to take the candidate who finishes third in the fall election and then pick the next one or two top vote-getters from the primary.

If it is possible I believe he should call for a special election. That’s right another judicial election. Why? The crowded field in the primary is the reason. The sheer number of candidates was overwhelming. And the size of that field was also impacted by a low voter turnout — about 35 percent.

If there are more open seats after the fall election it would be better to let the voters and the candidates have another chance at the selections to fill the seats.

Surely some of those who ran would not run again. One reason would be expense. The other would be fatigue. We all feel it.

But the system of courts in this country, not just this county but this country, is so vital to our quality of life judgeships should be filled by the electorate.

It’s the way a democracy is supposed to work. Sometimes the will of an electorate matches the governor’s appointment. If you don’t believe that look at how well Joseph Musto fared. He is currently a judge after being chosen by Rendell. He was also among the top vote-getters in the election.

The thought of another judges’ race with a crowded feel may exhaust most of us but it’s the best course of action. Fewer candidates will run and that will narrow the variables.

I’m always more comfortable when the voters decide even when their decisions confound us at times.

About the Author

Richard L. Connor is Editor and Publisher of the Times Leader and president of Wilkes-Barre Publishing Company.

Richard L. Connor is Editor and Publisher of The Times Leader. Mr. Connor’s career in the newspaper business spans nearly 40 years in four states and in a variety of positions including editor, publisher and owner.

In June of 2006, Mr. Connor formed The Wilkes-Barre Publishing Company, purchased The Times Leader and returned to the post he previously held from 1978 to 1986.

He has worked for several media companies, including 25 years as an executive with Capital Cities Communications, later Cap Cities/ABC and then the Walt Disney Company. During that time he served for over 10 years as President and Publisher of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Fort Worth, TX.

His work to have his newspapers not only serve the community as a voice of needed change but also to build bridges among its leaders and diverse forces has been recognized constantly for its unique brand of media leadership. He has won numerous awards as a columnist and for his editorials and has received a number of awards for his newspaper and community leadership and achievement. He has served on numerous community and industry boards, including two times as a member of the Pulitzer Prize Nominating Committee.

He resides in the Back Mountain with his wife, Deborah, and daughter, Meredith. Mr. Connor also has two adult children.

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