Sixth Judicial District judges Shaun Floerke of Duluth and Mark Starr of Hibbing held early leads Tuesday in attempting to keep seats on the bench they were appointed to by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in 2004.
Floerke had a better than 2-1 lead in early returns over challenger Tim Little, a lawyer and Duluth city councilor. Starr had a small early lead over Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Gordon Coldagelli of Eveleth.
"I'm feeling good," Floerke said from his party at the Duluth Curling Club Tuesday night. "I want to thank my supporters. It's been a humbling and rewarding experience. I've been really blessed by all the people who have responded, come out and given of their time. It's been a neat thing, a very good thing."
Only once in the last 38 years has an incumbent Northeastern Minnesota judge been defeated, and that was a dozen years ago. The candidates were on the ballot in the four counties that make up the 6th Judicial District -- St. Louis, Carlton, Lake and Cook.
Judges are elected to six-year terms, and any midterm vacancies are filled by governor's appointment. The current annual salary is $121,712.
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Floerke, 41, worked in private practice and as a prosecutor in the Steel County Attorney's Office in Owatonna, Minn., from 1992-96. He worked as a senior assistant attorney in the civil division of the St. Louis County Attorney's Office from 1997 until being named judge.
Little, 37, worked as an assistant Mower County attorney in Austin, Minn., was a partner in the Courtney, LaCourse and Little law firm in Duluth and was owner of the Law Office of Tim Little. He's currently working as vice president and trust officer for Wells Fargo in Duluth. He's been on the Duluth City Council since 2004.
Starr, 50, of Hibbing worked in the St. Louis County attorney's Virginia office from 1988 until being appointed judge.
Coldagelli, 50, of Eveleth has worked as a prosecutor in the St. Louis County attorney's Virginia office since 1987.
