Judicial decisions: four capture Superior Court seats

The man named Bill Johnson/Daniel Johnson/William D. Johnson/James O. Pace has been handily defeated in his quest to be elected to the Los Angeles Superior Court. Read up to learn why, but here's the short version: he wrote a book calling for non-whites to be denied U.S. citizenship and deported. He led an organization advocating for a constitutional amendment toward that end. More recently, he helped a ridiculous write-in campaign against six Latino judges. He was bested in the race for Office No. 125 by Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner James Bianco, whom the Times endorsed.

By the way, this was at least the fourth political campaign for Johnson, who ran as a Republican for the Hawaii state Assembly, a Republican for Congress from Wyoming, and a Democrat for Congress from Arizona.

Also winning outright are Deputy District Attorney Kathleen Blanchard (who also won a Times endorsement) in Office No. 123; Deputy D.A. Jared Moses (ditto) in Office No. 119; and Superior Court Commissioner Patricia Nieto (ditto) in Office No. 95. That makes four new judges.

It's great news in the case of Blanchard and Moses, not just because they'll make good judges, but also because their opponents were so eminently unqualified. It's good news in Nieto's case too, but a shame that her opponent, Deputy Attorney General Lance Winters, cannot take the bench as well, since he is also a great candidate. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, take notice when it's next time to appoint someone to the bench in Los Angeles.

The only sitting judge to be challenged, Ralph Dau, also easily won election in Office No. 4, as did those six Latino judges against whom no write-in challengers ever materialized.

The balance of the Superior Court races appear to be headed toward November runoffs.

Here is a complete list of the Times editorial board's endosements and here we make the case for our judicial choices.