Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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Lorie Gildea came to the court at the end of a complex appointee domino effect.  

Under Minnesota law, when judges can't fill out their terms, the governor appoints someone to do so.  That individual must run for election later.  

About three years ago, Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz stepped down before her term ended as chief.  The governor promoted an associate justice, Russell Anderson, to fill out Blatz's term.  That left Anderson's term open, and the governor appointed Lorie Gildea to fill the spot.  

Gildea worked as a lawyer in Washington D.C. after law school, and as an associate general counsel for the University of Minnesota.  She held a post as a Hennepin County judge for about three months before the governor appointed her to the Supreme Court.  

Gildea says she should keep her Supreme Court seat because she's been doing the job for nearly three years, and she says she's good at it.

"In Minnesota, we know that if you have something that works, you keep it.  I work very well on the Minnesota Supreme Court and the people should keep me here," said Gildea. "Since my appointment almost three years ago, I've helped the court decide hundreds of cases and I have written dozens of opinions for the court."

One of Gildea's opponents, Golden Valley civil rights attorney Jill Clark, has challenged Gildea in more than just the election.  

Two weeks ago, Clark asked the court to disqualify Gildea from running for election, or running as an incumbent on the ballot.  Clark contended the governor's appointees are only temporary and must step aside at the term's end. 

A five-judge panel comprised of two former state supreme court justices, two court of appeals judges and a Hennepin County judge dismissed both arguments.  

Clark says she's qualified to serve as justice because she brings an understanding of both federal and state constitutional law.  In addition, she says she's a good listener and would bring a unique perspective to the court from representing diverse communities in both federal and state courts.  

Clark says she decided to run against Gildea because she views her as vulnerable.

"To me those very, very important few seats, seven seats should be filled by brilliant jurists," said Clark. "It's my humble opinion that Lorie Gildea is not a brilliant jurist, and I don't think that the people of Minnesota deserve anything less than brilliance in that seat."

When asked if she considered herself brilliant, Clark responded, "I do. I think it, because people tell it to me all the time."

Clark adds that she isn't always right, but she is hardworking.  

Another of Gildea's challengers is Richard Gallo, who's served as a public defender in Minnesota for the past 23 years.  If elected, he says he would bring a real person's voice to the court. 

Gallo says he grew up poor and worked for everything he has.  He worked his way through college and law school.  Gallo says the Supreme Court should ensure that the poor have the same access to justice as the rich. 

He says he understands what it's like to look at the justice system from the ground up.  

"I've been there, and I have clients from all corners of the state and I see what takes place in all corners of the state," said Gallo, "not just from my clients but from the corrections people that I work with, from the law enforcement people that I see and work with, and from the people that I meet when I'm out in the state."

Gildea also faces a challenger with nearly 30 years of experience as a sitting Hennepin County judge.  Judge Deborah Hedlund says she brings a solid trial court background to the Supreme Court, which she says is sorely lacking right now.  Lorie Gildea has about three months of trial court experience.  

Hedlund says as a longtime Hennepin County judge she's worked with many diverse communities and presided over probate court, mental health court, family, juvenile, criminal, and civil court.  She says she will bring that breadth of legal experience and practicality to the high court.

"I have 28 years of experience, of practical experience dealing with the problems that they're supposed to review," said Hedlund. "And it is really an issue for me when things like murder one trials are appealed directly to the Supreme Court, and there is no one on the Supreme Court that's ever tried one as a judge or an attorney."

The top two vote getters in Tuesday's primary will move on to the general election on Nov. 4.

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One of the more interesting races on the primary election ballot Tuesday is the challenge to Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Lorie Gildea.  Three candidates are on the ballot with her,  including a civil rights attorney, a public defender, and a sitting Hennepin County judge.

High court justice faces three primary challengers

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