Robinson Launches Campaign for Judgeship
One of eight write-in candidates, the Costa Mesa councilwoman says she will face 'an uphill battle' against Superior Court Judge Ronald C. Kline.
By Lolita Harper and Byron de Arakal
Originally published in the Los Angeles Times, January 9, 2002
COSTA MESA — A little more than a year after her surprise election to the City Council, Karen Robinson announced Tuesday she is launching a late-hour write-in campaign to unseat Orange County Superior Court Judge Ronald C. Kline.
"I have always wanted to be a judge," Robinson said. "The question has always been a matter of when to run or to seek an appointment by applying for a position with the governor."
The timing issue—launching a write-in candidacy just 13 months into her first term on the City Council—is not an indication that Robinson is dissatisfied or frustrated with her council experience or her elected colleagues, she said. "If I had some dissatisfaction," Robinson said, "I would have been a candidate outright. The evidence is that I did not intend to run, or else I would have chosen an easier way than what I'm doing."
Robinson, 38, said she will remain on the City Council during the campaign but would resign if she were to win.
Her announcement had mixed reaction among her council colleagues.
"It's something she has always dreamed about, and I wish her all the best," Mayor Linda Dixon said.
Councilman Gary Monahan also expressed his support, saying residents should be proud of "one of their own" if Robinson wins the election.
Her success could make the City Council race "messy," Monahan said. He and Dixon are both up for reelection in November, but Monahan has said he will not run again, leaving his seat up for grabs. In addition, Councilman Chris Steel is facing criminal forgery charges that could force him to step down. If Robinson also leaves, it is possible that three seats would be open, with only Dixon fighting for reelection.
"If she succeeds in getting elected, the Costa Mesa dais may get a little spacious," Monahan said.
Councilwoman Libby Cowan said Robinson's announcement shocked her, especially as local attorney and former Daily Pilot columnist Gay Geiser-Sandoval will also be vying for the judicial position.
Robinson, who is an attorney in the Cal State University system, has a little less than eight weeks to generate the support of political and organizational leaders in the county, as well as name recognition among voters.
That's a tall—if not impossible—task, says one political consultant, noting that few voters pay attention to judicial elections and that write-in campaigns for any office are notoriously difficult to pull off.
Kline—who is unopposed on the March 5 ballot—faces a slew of federal charges alleging that he possessed more than 100 images of child pornography, many of them stored on his home computer. The 61-year-old pleaded not guilty to the counts in federal court Dec. 4.
"I wish her well," said Eileen Padberg, a veteran political consultant. Nevertheless, Padberg said Robinson's chances were nearly "zero" because "in Orange County, incumbents win regardless. Even if they're indicted, they win."
Robinson acknowledged that running "a write-in candidacy is an uphill battle," but said she has already spoken with several organizations, elected leaders and her colleagues in the legal profession and has received verbal commitments to support her candidacy.
Geiser-Sandoval, who collected the required 100 signatures that allows write-in candidates to enter the race, is concerned that more candidates will only secure Kline's reelection.
"I just worry about the message we send to our children if we reelect a man that may be convicted of criminal charges," said Geiser-Sandoval, who dropped out of a different judgeship race in an attempt to defeat Kline.
"I don't know why [Robinson] decided to pursue this now instead of back in November," when the election was still open to challengers, she said.
Cindy Brenneman, one of Robinson's campaign managers on her 2000 City Council bid who will help manage Robinson's latest campaign, called it an incredible opportunity.
Becoming a judge "has always been on her radar screen for the future, and the timing of this was just right," Brenneman said.
Kline's trial date, originally set for Jan. 22, has been moved to June 4, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Deirdre Eliot, the prosecuting attorney in the case. If convicted, Kline faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and up to $1.25 million in fines.
If Kline is reelected in March but later convicted on the federal child pornography counts, he would be removed from the bench. Gov. Gray Davis would then appoint a successor.
Kline needs only 50% of the vote to retain his position, and political analysts predict he will receive 35% simply because he is an incumbent. That leaves Robinson, Sandoval and six other potential write-in candidates to fight for the remainder, said Terri Niccum, spokeswoman for the Orange County registrar of voters.
Padberg said Robinson would have to rely heavily on direct mail between now and March 5 to have any chance. She pegged the tab for that kind of campaign at roughly $240,000.
Robinson said she will mount a grass-roots campaign "similar to the one we ran for City Council."
She said the campaign will go to every city in the county, and "I'll be walking precincts, sending out mailers, putting up signs and rounding up other support in the community."
Robinson was elected to the City Council in November 2000 on her first try, becoming the first African American council member. She edged out incumbent Heather Somers by 32 votes.
During her tenure on the City Council, Robinson has often found herself on the short end of the vote on key issues, particularly those related to major development projects. An advocate of low-density development, she was the lone dissenting vote when the council approved the controversial Home Ranch project in November.
Robinson is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law. She litigated cases in maritime, insurance and commercial law while with the Long Beach-based firm of Keesal, Young and Logan before joining the in-house legal staff of the Cal State University system in 1996.
Since 1994, Robinson has served as a judge pro tem in Los Angeles County Superior Court. She has also been an appointed judicial arbitrator in that court since 1999. Robinson is a former District 7 governor of the California Women Lawyers and served on its board of directors from 1994 to 1996.
