Orange County saw two victories each in the circuit judge and county judge groups on Tuesday night, with one circuit judge race poised to head to a runoff.  

Circuit Judge: Group 1 
Temika Hampton-Johnson and incumbent Mikaela Nix are possibly heading to a runoff after winning a combined 74.08% of the votes Tuesday, defeating candidate Charles Hart. With about 5,000 mail-in votes left to count as of midnight, Hampton-Johnson still had a chance to push her 46% share of the vote above the 50% threshold she would need to avoid a runoff.  

With all 263 precincts reporting, Hampton-Johnson had 74,164 votes. During her campaign, including in a Q&A with The Apopka Chief, she promoted her experience as a military police officer, attorney, and former assistant public defender.  

“I chose to run for circuit judge because the breadth of my legal experience aligns with the broad jurisdiction of the circuit court,” she said. “I have practiced criminal law as an assistant public defender, family law, labor and employment law, and dispute resolution as a certified mediator. My career has required me to navigate complex legal issues affecting individuals, families, and organizations, and I believe that diverse experience has prepared me well for service on the circuit bench.” 

Nix earned 28.01% of the votes on Tuesday. She ran for circuit judge six years ago due to “a need for more diversity on the bench.” 

“As a trial lawyer I was consistently in and out of the courtroom, and I saw very few judges that looked like me or could relate to the experiences that my clients had,” she said in the Q&A. “A lawyer knows the law and how to apply it. A judge must know not only the law but also people, principles, human nature, and fairness.” 

Circuit Judge: Group 2 
Attorney Christina Arguelles won by the largest margin across all judge races, defeating Christie Lou Mitchell by 31.44%, or 48,723 votes. 

“Thank you to everyone who supported me in this judicial election,” Arguelles said in a text message to the Chief. “I am truly honored and humbled by the trust you have placed in me. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and hope to live up to the high standards of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. I will work every day to uphold the law, serve with integrity, and honor the responsibility entrusted to me.” 

According to her Q&A responses, Arguelles has trial experience spanning over a decade and volunteers in the community. She wants “to ensure every person who enters the courtroom is treated with fairness, dignity, compassion, and respect, and that every case is decided by faithfully applying the law.” 

Circuit Judge: Group 31 
Kamilah Perry won the race for group 31 with 93,710 votes, as compared to opponent Steve Kerestes’ 62,390 votes. Perry brings her experience as a business owner, as chief executive of the Ninth Circuit State Attorney’s Office, and more to the role. 

“My 23+ years of litigation experience in virtually every area of the law uniquely qualifies me to be a judge with vast experience,” Perry said in the Q&A. “I want to be part of rebuilding public confidence because our courts must be a place where every person, regardless of politics, background, income, or circumstance, knows they will be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect. Public trust is the foundation of justice, and when that trust erodes, the entire system suffers.” 

County Judge: Group 5 
Asima Azam won by the narrowest margin across all judge races, earning her victory against Kafi Kennedy by 5,992 votes. 

“My decision to run for County Court Judge grew from my experiences as both a mediator and Special Magistrate for the Orange County Tax Collector,” Azam said in a county judge Q&A with the Chief. “As a mediator, I learned to listen with patience, treating every person with respect, and helping resolve disputes fairly. As a Special Magistrate, I presided over hearings, evaluated evidence, applied the law impartially, and issued written opinions. Those experiences confirmed that serving in a judicial role is where I can best use my 23 years of legal experience to ensure every person is heard and every case is decided fairly.” 

County Judge: Group 17 
Incumbent Cherish Adams won against Joy Goodyear with 53.69% of the votes.  

“As a teenager, I decided to be a lawyer when my best friend lost a family member due to gun violence,” Adams said in the county judge Q&A. “I witnessed her family process the loss of a father, husband, and brother and they walked through the criminal justice system. I have since dedicated my life to public service, serving as a clerk at the 5th District Court of Appeal, a prosecutor, and now as a judge.”