Three key Court of Common Pleas judicial seats are now up for grabs in Philly’s general election

Philadelphia’s Democratic City Committee now has three “magic seats” to fill on November’s general election ballot for the Court of Common Pleas.

As Clout explained in June, magic seats become available when current judges seeking to be retained for another term decide instead to drop off the ballot.

The party can replace them; the 10-year judicial terms also come with an annual paycheck of $212,495. Those candidates don’t have to raise money for an expensive primary run, deal with political consultants, or hit the campaign trail.

Judge Rayford Means withdrew from the ballot in June and Judge Joel Johnson dropped out in July. Judge Genece Brinkley withdrew Wednesday afternoon.

Brinkely did not respond to a a request for comment.

Brinkley’s lawyer in June told Clout she had no intention of dropping off the ballot and was “surprised” when we asked about it.

Times change.

Brinkley’s current 10-year term was consumed in a whirlwind of controversy, including her 2017 decision to jail rapper Meek Mill for probation violations. She was transferred to Civil Court in December and had all of her criminal cases reassigned. She filed a legal challenge that was struck down in June by the state Supreme Court.

Clout hears the three leading contenders for the magic seats are James Eisenhower, Raj Sandher, and Elvin Ross III.

Eisenhower, who ran twice for state attorney general and is a former president judge of the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline, represented Democratic Party chair Bob Brady in a 2017 federal investigation that resulted in convictions for a pair of Brady aides. Brady was not charged.

Sandher has done legal work on behalf of Democratic ward leaders and committee members.

Ross runs a law firm that includes a partner, Jeffery “Jay” Young Jr., who is expected to win a City Council seat in November, and two of-counsel lawyers, State Rep. Donna Bullock and State Sen. . Art Haywood.

Three other names — former State Sen. Larry Farnese and attorneys Will Braveman and Wade Albert — are also in the mix.

While the party has more contenders than magic seats, two or three judicial posts may open early next year as some sitting judges are expected to resign. Gov. Josh Shapiro, with input from the city’s Democratic Party, would appoint judges to those seats.

This article was included in this week’s Clout, a weekly roundup providing often irreverent news and analysis about people, power, and politics.