Doyle Easy Winner In Judge Primary; Opponents 24 Votes Apart

There’s a clear favorite now in the race for La Crosse County judge…but second place may be too close to call.

Gloria Doyle received 56 per cent of the votes in a three-way primary on Tuesday.  The other two candidates are separated by just 24 votes, with Brian Barton coming in second, ahead of newly-appointed Judge Candice Tlustosch.  The two leading contenders move on to the April election, and the winner of that vote will begin a six-year term this summer. 

In one other La Crosse County primary, the incumbent town chairman in Campbell has a tough road to re-election.  Scott Johnson came in second behind challenger Terry Schaller, who had 52 per cent of the primary vote.  Bob Crooks was a distant third.  Johnson and other current board members have been criticized for putting former police chief Tim Kelemen on paid leave for five months after he was accused of harassing a private citizen…and then failing to fire him when he pled guilty.