GRIMM, KAMP, STATLER WIN

John Grimm beat Benjamin Lewis for Circuit Judge Division II in the 32nd District of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties. He won by 1,048 votes.

A surprise was the Democrat's strong showing in Perry County, which is heavily Republican. Grimm beat Lewis in all three counties, but Cape County was nip and tuck with only a 39-vote difference.

Vote totals in all three counties were 17,325 for Grimm and 16,277 for Republican Lewis.

In Cape Girardeau County, Grimm won a slight majority with 12,159 votes. Lewis earned 12,122.

But Grimm's widest margin came in Perry County, where he won by 670 votes. He earned 2,948 ballots, with 2,278 votes for Lewis.

The trend continued in Bollinger County, with Grimm winning by 341 votes. He earned 2,218 votes with 1,877 ballots cast for Lewis.

Grimm was appointed to fill the remaining 13 months of the term by Gov. Mel Carnahan. Lewis is serving his first term as Division III associate circuit judge. It was a gamble for Lewis, whose term for judge expires Dec. 31.

Gary Kamp, who has a law practice in Marble Hill, won the Associate Circuit Judge Division III in Cape Girardeau County. He beat out Cape Girardeau County Public Defender Gary Robbins by 3,217 ballots.

Kamp has served as assistant county prosecutor and city attorney in Marble Hill and Fredericktown.

He polled 13,404 votes with Robbins earning 10,287 ballots.

In Cape Girardeau County, Democrat Pete Statler won the Associate Circuit Judge post in Division IV over Republican Allen Moss by 1,100 votes.

Statler collected 12,628 votes with 11,528 votes for Moss.

In the campaign, Statler stressed his experience as a private attorney and five years as a municipal court judge in Jackson.

The position opened up with the retirement of Judge Marybelle Mueller.