Republicans select Circuit Court Judge candidate for November ballot

Republican precinct committeemen and women participated in a caucus Saturday to select the candidate for the Circuit Court Judge on the November ballot.

Twenty-seven of the twenty-nine precinct committee members gathered at Republican Headquarters in downtown Plymouth June 22nd at 9 a.m. to hear from the two candidates wanting to fill the Circuit Court seat on the ballot. 

Each candidate was given five minutes to explain why they were the best candidate.  Vickie Palmer-Atkins, daughter of recently retired Circuit Court Judge Curtis Palmer was the first to speak.  She told the group there are two simple reasons why she is the best candidate.  First, she said she was the most experienced candidate today and the only candidate who has been a lifelong supporting member of the Republican party.  Palmer-Atkins graduated from PHS in 2004, from Purdue in 2008 with a degree in business management and then on to the Valparaiso Law School in 2011. 

After graduation in 2011 Palmer-Atkins was hired as a full-time Deputy Prosecutor in the Tippecanoe Prosecutor’s Office.  After four year she wanted to move to a smaller community to raise their family and realized they couldn’t move back to Marshall County because her father was a judge, so they moved to Shelby County and has been with the Prosecutor’s Office for 8 years running the Child Support and Juvenile Delinquency Departments.   

In closing Palmer-Atkins said, “I’m the most qualified and a lifelong supporter of the Republican Party.”  She also said, “I’m the only candidate here today that has dedicated her entire career to helping the public sector.  My client is any person who walks into my office.”  She also commented that she is not a politician. 

The second candidate Janette Surrisi from Culver told the crowd and opened by saying, “It is true that I’m just like Ronald Regan in that I know what it is like to pull the republican lever for the first time.  And it feels great.  You all know that I have stood side beside you at parades and elections for the last 14 years working for this party. If this party didn’t accept newcomers we wouldn’t have people like Mike Braun, Donald Trump, Ronald Regan who have all been accused of being Democrats in the past.” 

Surrisi told the precinct committee members there are three reasons why she should be judge.  She said she was qualified, committed to this community and she has Marshall County common sense.  Janette is currently a lawyer who is an advocate and a fighter who’s not afraid to fight million-dollar corporations. 

Surrisi was recognized by her peers as a Super Lawyer Rising Star, a recognition that you can’t nominate yourself for, you can’t buy the recognition, its your peers and only 2 1/2% of the attorneys in the entire State of Indiana are even eligible for that recognition.  She said, “I’m battle tested and ready to go. I’m committed to this community, and I work with the Culver Youth Club extensively, offering them approximately $40,000 of free legal services, setting up forms, protocols, and how to take care of the children.” 

In closing Jenette Surrisi said, “As for common since, I’m a business owner.  I grew up on a farm and I know what it is like to have your dollars to be tight.  I’m going to track your dollars; I’m going to watch the money and I’m going to be a good Circuit Court Judge.”

The 27 precinct members went to the ballot box and within a few minutes County Republican Chairman Deb VanDerMark announced that Janette Surrisi was the winner and will be the Republican candidate on the November ballot for Circuit Court Judge in Marshall County.