M4 4 INILMMT
tea. a MESS S a.
High Sight
FRIDAY, JULY 26
10 AM to 11 PM!!
Sundance Shoes
An Oakland trial court judge is looking
at a Michigan Supreme Court seat.
JULIE EDGAR STAFF WRITER
❑ Hersh's ❑ Peanuts
LaBret Jewelers ❑ Omaha Steaks
❑
Chico's Casual Clothing ❑ Stage & Co.
❑
Mr. Alan's
Rear Ends
Dakota Bread ❑ Marguerite The Perfect Fit
Patricia Miles
❑
Zeba Oriental Rugs
UP to 75% OFF
Atoto 612
"71
RETAIL PRICES
Orchard Lake Rd. • S. of Maple • W. Blmfd.
di rckper.
The home of Baby Itoutique...
outique..
"When you want the unique!' Sine. 1969
6 lomtiaths- tw
csvrege you!
•
LABOR
•
Custom Draperies 8c
Custoinri. T_Tpliolstereci
e_dorriice Tralarice
WE wytx, 'vow
BE xiNTDEEtscow!
Fiksx-ricolv FORWARD STYLING!
WETIEN YOU' WANT '11-1:E "inviQl_nE" nv mu:NI:pow ro_Esacays!
Cuts- tt)ixi
Vertical 111111ds
INSTALLED
•
Y o
T
4
18
Commerce Area
39800 14 Mile Road
at Haggerty
(810) 669-0330
Novi Area
_P.17."..C. 8z-
.
FABItIC
DESIGNS
SAVINGS
Farmington Hills Area
due to manufactures restriction and the
exceptional values offered some items are
exempt from any further savings. Some Hems
have limited quantities so shop early for best
selection. Free installation applles to a
minimum combined order of S395 after
discount and before soles tax and reside within
a 10 mile radius of any one of our six stores.
Previous orders excluded for price adjustments.
Al vertical blind fabrics subject to availability.
Troy Area
39253 Grand River 30854 Orchard Lk. Rd. 6046 Rochester Road
in Pepper Square
at 14 Mile
in Venus Plaza
(810) 478-3133
(810) 626-4313
(810 )879-1010
Canton Area Sterling Heights Area
42775 Ford Road
37130 VanDyke
in Canton Corners in Crossroads Center
(313 )981-7400
(810 )795-1500
en she trains her live-
ly brown eyes on the at-
torneys standing before
er, it appears she's al-
ready way ahead of their argu-
ments. And whether she disagrees
or not, she usually does it with a
wry smile.
Plainly, Oakland Circuit Court
Judge Hilda Gage relishes an in-
tellectual challenge.
With her near-constant run-
ning from courtroom to chambers
to board meetings to dinner out-
ings, it's obvious she doesn't shy
away from the physical kind, ei-
ther.
But she thought long and hard
about entering a statewide race
that will demand time and mon-
ey, if not countless smiles and
handshakes at the usual rounds
of parades and rallies.
Judge Gage, now in her third
circuit court term, has agreed to
run as the Republican
nominee for the Michi-
gan Supreme Court in
November. Gov. John
Engler, a good friend
whose smiling face
beams from a photo-
graph behind her desk,
urged her to get into the race.
She was flattered, naturally,
but because of a debilitating ill-
ness — she suffers from multiple
sclerosis (MS) that has partially
affected her ability to walk — she
figured the race would be too
much.
And her family was worried
about her overdoing it. Judge
Gage's schedule is already
crammed with board meetings
and speeches, not to mention a
hectic court docket. Her day be-
gins at 5 a.m. and wraps up at
midnight.
"I didn't decide to run until I
cleared it with my doctor," Judge
Gage explained. "He was positive.
He said my body will tell me what
my limits are and that what I do
wouldn't alter my condition."
Plus, '1 was told by several peo-
ple that it wouldn't exact the same
physical toll on me as a county-
wide race."
Judge Gage was diagnosed
with MS in 1973, but was symp-
tom-free for 13 years.
"I hope it doesn't become an is-
sue in this campaign, because
there's no way to hide it, nor
would I want to," she said.
Jim Alexander, former head of
the Oakland County Republican
Party and co-coordinator of Judge
Gage's campaign, noted that
statewide races rely heavily on a
strong TV, newspaper and radio
presence rather than door-to-door
Wh
canvassing or stumping at pa-
rades.
"It's a name-identification kind
of campaign, and you can accom-
plish that by intelligent use of me-
dia. Hers will be talking to
editorial boards, the bar associa-
tion, etc.," he said. "Nobody jumps
out of bed to vote for a Supreme
Court candidate."
Judge Gage, 56, considered
running for a state Supreme
Court seat in the past, "but this
time I got assurances and support
from some credible people who as-
sured me I could get elected," she
said. Some of her firepower will
come from national Republican
fund-raiser Max M. Fisher and
Michigan Lt. Gov. Connie Bins-
field, the co-chairs of her cam-
Paign.
Her challengers include Michi-
gan Court of Appeals Judges
William Murphy, Kathleen
Jansen and Marilyn Kel-
ly, who are seeking the
Democratic nomination,
and a colleague on the
Circuit Court bench,
Judge Jessica Cooper,
who intends to run as an
independent. There are
two open seats on the seven-mem-
ber court: Justice Charles Levin
is retiring and incumbent Chief
Justice James Brickley is seeking
re-election as a Republican.
Although candidates for the
state's highest court are chosen
by party officials — this summer's
Republican Convention is set for
Sept. 7 in Lansing — they run on
a nonpartisan ticket. And, Judge
Gage says, a third of the state's
voters fail to pull a lever in non-
partisan races.
That means candidates must
be awfully savvy. Lots of money
helps, too. The judge says she'll
attend major events and run TV
ads and hope she gets the en-
dorsement of major newspapers
and media organizations. She fig-
ures she'll need at least $500,000
to mount a campaign, but the
funds will come from the coffers
of the state Republican Party.
A win for Judge Gage would
help tip the court's political scales.
Four Democrats, two Republicans
and Justice Levin, who generally
votes with the liberal majority,
comprise the court.
Judge Gage, who is divorced, is
the mother of Julie Lynn Palmer,
34; Jackie Gage, ; 32; and David,
who died at the age of 6 1/2 in
1974 from complications from
dysautonomia. She is also grand-
mother to two boys.
In her 18 years on the bench,
POLLS page 20
_
_---(