Meadows to run for district court

State Rep. Mark
Meadows, D-East Lansing, announced today that he’s running for a judge seat in
East Lansing’s 54B District Court, which is being vacated by retiring Judge
David Jordon.

“I
never expected that position would open up,” Meadows said in an interview
today, adding he was surprised Jordon announced his retirement last week. “It’s
one I thought about many times.”

Meadows, who is
term-limited in his current seat, said he “had thought about” running for a
state Senate seat when it opens up in 2014, but that running for a District
Court seat had been on his mind for “years.”

Meadows said he
expects to compete in an August primary for the District Court seat.

Meadows has
served on the East Lansing City Council and as East Lansing mayor before being
elected to the state House. He has also chaired the House Judiciary Committee
and served as an assistant attorney general for 27 years.

54B judges serve
six-year terms. Meadows, whose House term ends at the end of the year,
represents the 69^th House District, which includes East Lansing,
Okemos, Haslett and Williamston.

Former East
Lansing Mayor Sam Singh and Susan Schmidt — Meadows’ former Chief of Staff —
are Democrats who have announced to replace him in the House. Meridian Township
Supervisor Susan McGillicuddy, a Republican, also has announced her candidacy
for the seat.