Another
Time
Around

Oakland County Circuit Court
candidates are old pros by now.

JULIE EDGAR
News Editor

S

teve Kaplan, about to make
his fourth try for public office
in a decade, says mounting a
campaign requires time,
money, physical stamina and a sup-
portive family — a very supportive
family.
He, his wife Lisa, 8-year-old Erin
and 5-year-old Stacey, began planting
political signs throughout the county a
month ago. When they aren't doing
that, they're knocking on doors,
strolling in parades, making phone
calls or hosting parties in their home.
"The point is, you're rarely inactive.
That's why many qualified individuals
do not seek public office; they would-
n't willingly subject their families to
the rigors of campaigning," the inde-
fatigable Kaplan said.
In next week's primary, Kaplan, a
12-year assistant prosecutor in
Macomb County, will take on Richard
Kuhn Jr. and Colleen O'Brien for a
chance to run in November for a non-
partisan seat on the Oakland County
Circuit Court bench. The two top
vote-getters will vie for the $109,000
job vacated by retiring Judge Robert
Anderson.
Kaplan's last try for public office
was over a year ago, when he jumped
into a crowded field of would-be fed-
eral judges. A year before that, in
1996, he narrowly lost a bid to
become Oakland County's chief prose-
cutor. Two years earlier, he ran for the
same post and lost.
Kuhn, 38, a lawyer in private prac-
tice is also a veteran candidate — he
ran and lost a bid for a district court
seat in Waterford Township in 1994
— but this race requires a much fur-
ther reach, he noted.
"A county-wide campaign is a huge
undertaking. You try and appear at

7/31
1998

12 Detroit Jewish News

Colleen O'Brien,
Rochester Hills

Current Position: Member of Cum-
mings, McClorey, Davis and Acho
law firm in Pontiac.
Funds Raised $25,000.
Experience: Has done work in con-
tract, real estate, personal injury and
domestic matters.
Represents Munici-
palities and police
departments.
Serves as a court-
appointed media-
tor. Past president
of Oakland Coun-
ty Women's Bar
Association; past

member, board of directors of
Women Lawyers Association of
Michigan; hearing panel member,
Attorney Discipline Board; past
member, Zoning Board of Appeals
and member, Economic Develop-
ment Committee in Rochester Hills.
Endorsements: Former Oakland
County Executive Daniel Murphy;
Pontiac Police Officers Association;
West Bloomfield Command Officers

Association.

Why she's running: "It's a career
choice. I think most attorneys some-
time during their career aspire to be
a judge. It's a pinnacle of our profes-
sion. It's not only a challenging job
but an honor to serve the public."

events where there are many hands
to shake and people to meet. We've
marched in a number of parades
and appeared in different everrts
through the county. They key is to
Steven Kaplan,
identify voters who may come
West Bloomfield
out to the primary, but that's
difficult when you're trying to
Richard
Current Position: Assistant prosecutor,
go to festivals and parades.
Macomb County
Kuhn Jr.,
You may find one out of 10
Funds Raised- $53,000.
Waterford
or 20 who may vote in the
Experience: Served as a research attorney
Township
primary.
for former Oakland Circuit Judges
"You can't do it alone; it's
current Position:
Bernard Kaufman and George La.Plata,
an awesome task," Kuhn
Member of Adki-
Michigan Court of Appeals Judge
said. Lending a daily hand
son Need law firm
William
Beasley and U.S. District Judge
are his wife Kristine, daugh-
in Bloomfield Hills.
George
LaPlata.
Serves as assistant pros-
ters Katherine, 2, and Anna,
Funds &used-
ecutor
in Macomb
7 months, parents, in-laws,
Approximately $41,000.
County.
Member, board
sister and brother. "It's a fam-
Research attorney for
Experience:
of
directors
of Anti-
ily event," he said.
Oakland Circuit Judge Rudy
Defamation League,
O'Brien, 42, tried for a
Nichols until 1995; handles an
vice-president, B'nai
position on the Oakland
array of civil matters in his current
Brith Regional Council,
County Circuit Court bench
position, representing municipali-
member, board of direc-
eight years ago.
ties and businesses. Served as an
tors of Gateway and
Two years ago, she ran for
Oakland
County
commissioner
for
Substance
Abuse Infor-
an open seat in the 52/3 Dis-
eight years representing Indepen-
mation
Agency.
trict Court, which covers the
dence, Springfield and Waterford
Endorsements: Michigan
Rochester area, in a field of
townships.
Police Legislative Coali-
13 candidates. It was difficult
Endorsements: Oakland County
tion (includes Michigan Association of
to distinguish herself from •
Deputy Sheriff's Association, vari-
Police), National Organization of
the others, she noted, and
ous judges and former Michigan
Women, 50 judges and 1,000 individual
even though it was easier to
State Bar Association presidents.
attorneys, HEAL-PAC, an animal rights
cover more territory in one
and environmental advocacy group.
district, the experience was
he's running: "I think I've stud-
exhausting.
ied and trained for this type of posi-
Why he's running: "It all relates to my
O'Brien, who has practiced
tion for many years ... It's an oppor-
early days as a law student when I
civil law throughout her career,
tunity to extend my service to the
worked for Judges LaPlata and Kauf-
swore she.would never run
citizens of Oakland County."
man. These were very fine men. A good,
again, until she was urged on
caring, hardworking judge is going to -
by attorney friends who noted
make the lives better of those people in
"All of my free time has been
that only two candidates had filed in the
his or her courtroom."
spent campaigning," she said. "Last
current race.
weekend, I went to a parade and
Her decision didn't exactly sit well
campaigned there, and then went
dren — Johnny, 7, Matthew, 8 and
with her husband, Thomas Cory, not
to Novi for the Fifties festival and earn-
Megan, 12 — like campaigning with
only because O'Brien had tossed out
paigned there and then the Waterford
her at parades and fairs.
the campaign literature, invitations, let-
Township
Founders
Day
Festival.
'
"They don't like me not being
ters and other flotsam that would have
"It's
been
a
strain
on
my
family,"
home,
but when I take them they
been useful for the current campaign.
she
continued,
even
though
her
chil-
enjoy
it."
❑
He serves as campaign manager.

.