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Politics

Moody win likely, other races too close to call

By COLLEEN JENKINS and CARRIE WEIMAR
Published November 8, 2006

TAMPA - Ashley Moody stood poised Tuesday night to become Florida's youngest judge as she maintained a 3-to-2 lead over a lawyer who has been practicing law three times as long.

Moody, 31, a federal prosecutor, extends her family's judicial legacy: Her father sits on the federal bench in Tampa, and her late grandfather was a circuit judge here.

She has been a lawyer for five years, the minimum required to run for judge. She steered the conversation away from her age during the campaign, focusing on the quality of her experience handling complex commercial litigation for Holland & Knight and fighting crime at the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"I'm happy about the results," Moody said. "It's humbling. I'm just overwhelmed tonight."

The other Hillsborough judge races posted tighter results.

Bernard "Bernie" Silver, a board-certified civil trial lawyer for Trenam Kemker, was beating defrocked judge Elizabeth "Betsey" Hapner with 353 of 361 precincts reporting. Silver touted his integrity and clean disciplinary record, in contrast to his opponent, who was removed from the county bench in 1998.

He spent $162,867 on the Group 32 race, three times as much as Hapner spent.

"It's been quite a ride," said Silver, 61.

The results for the Group 43 race also showed the increasing importance of big spending in judicial campaigns. By 10 p.m., Tampa lawyer Kimberly Fernandez had pulled ahead of opponent Paul Jeske, whom she outspent more than two to one.

Fernandez, 42, spent $258,000, more than any other Hillsborough judicial candidate. She runs a private law firm specializing in family and criminal law.

The race for the Group 44 seat was expected to be close after longtime litigator Emily Peacock and career public defender Samantha Ward finished neck and neck in the primary. But as of 10:30 p.m., Peacock was ahead by a slim margin.

Peacock, 50, began her career as an assistant state attorney and worked as a senior attorney for the Florida Department of Children and Families. She is now in private practice.

Tuesday was bittersweet for Peacock. While encouraged by the results, she was concentrating on her elderly mother, who is under hospice care.

"It has made me put everything in perspective," she said.

Colleen Jenkins can be reached at 813 226-3337 or cjenkins@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 8, 2006, 01:43:18]