I am writing to express my support for Judge Steve McGlynn.

McGlynn is running for an open seat on the Fifth Appellate District Court. His opponent is Judy Cates, a personal injury and class action lawyer from St. Clair County. I have personally debated Cates on the topic of tort reform, and I have found her to be both very opinionated and one-sided in her approach to the law.

McGlynn is a man of integrity. He has twice been unanimously appointed as a judge by the Illinois Supreme Court. He has been rated as "recommended" and "highly qualified" by his peers at the Illinois State Bar Association.

McGlynn has shown an ability to work well with judges and court administrators of both parties in Madison and St. Clair counties. Such a trait would greatly benefit those who come before the Fifth Appellate District, be they plaintiffs or defendants.

Perhaps most importantly is McGlynn's history of judicial impartiality. Given the tenor and manner in which our court systems have been run in Southern Illinois, the Fifth Appellate District needs a man of honor like McGlynn on the bench. Electing McGlynn would help restore balance to the court.

Edward F. Ragsdale

Alton