Survive & Advance: County Judge’s Race Heads to a Run-Off

The race for the Republican nomination for Fayette County Judge is headed to a runoff between Dan Mueller and Craig Moreau. The runoff will take place on May 24.

Dan Mueller and Craig Moreau collected the most votes, but neither of them gathered more than 50 percent – the number needed to avoid a runoff. The unofficial vote count was Dan Mueller with 2,330 votes (40.21 percent), Craig Moreau with 1,836 votes (31.69 percent), Lori Berger with 825 votes (14.24 percent) and William Bernsen with 803 votes (13.86 percent).

The Fayette County Elections Office worked until around 1 a.m. counting the votes.

“I am thankful that I received the most votes,” Mueller told the Record on Wednesday. “I am especially proud that in this campaign I did not receive one penny that was solicited. By that, I mean every campaign contribution my campaign received came from individuals who contacted me or my treasurer, Gene Kruppa, and voluntarily contributed to our campaign. I am also proud that over 95 percent of the political signs that I placed throughout the county were placed at locations where the property owner or the homeowner contacted my campaign and asked that I place signs on their property. There were only four or five instances where I contacted individuals and asked to place signs.

“If I’m successful in this runoff, I intend to work with the four commissioners to provide common sense, conservative county government,” Mueller added. “Obviously I would have liked to have won without a runoff, but when you have four candidates seeking one office, its awful hard to receive over 50 percent of the vote. I was hoping for that, but certainly not surprised.”

“I’m ecstatic,” Moreau said Tuesday morning. “It was an absolutely great night. I’m very thankful to all the supporters who came out to the polls yesterday, all the people who donated to the campaign in so many ways and all the prayers. I’m very much looking forward to the runoff in May and I’m excited about a win in May.”

“I just want to congratulate the winners and I hope they continue to represent the people of Fayette County,” said Berger.

Berger fell ill with COVID-19 during the middle of her campaign and missed public events including one of the candidate forums. Berger said the illness may have hampered her campaign.

“It sidelined me for three weeks, and I think that hurt me,” Berger said.

“It’s been very enlightening,” she added. “I’ve enjoyed talking to people and meeting so many citizens I didn’t know before.”

Berger said she will not endorse either of the two remaining Republican candidates. When asked if she intends to run for political office again, Berger responded, “I haven’t thought that far ahead. First, I have to go pick up all my campaign signs.”

Bernsen also thanked his supporters.

“While I wish we were in the runoff, but one out of seven votes is nothing to scoff at considering where this campaign began,” Bernsen said. “I have enjoyed all the conversations, all that I have learned and all the relationships I have developed, and I look forward to building on that.”

Bernsen said he plans to stay active in county politics.

“We may have lost this battle, but the war is not over,” Bernsen said. “Liberty still matters, we still live in Fayette County, and we still want our children to build their futures here. There are still important matters that must be resolved. Now that I am no longer burdened with campaigning, I am free to continue my activism to ensure our freedoms are protected. You haven’t seen the last of me.”