Terrence, Mangano thank supporters, voters for Fresno Superior Court election victories
Two career Fresno prosecutors on Wednesday thanked their supporters and voters for giving them decisive victories in Tuesday night's election for two open seats on the Fresno Superior Court bench.
<iframe style="width:100%;height:145px;border:0;scrolling:no" src="http://media.sacbee.com/static/election2018p/fresno-sup-ct-judge-no-4.html"> </iframe> <iframe style="width:100%;height:170px;border:0;scrolling:no" src="http://media.sacbee.com/static/election2018p/fresno-sup-ct-judge-no-8.html"> </iframe> <h6 style="font-size:12px">Source: California Secretary of State's Office</h6>
Robert Mangano, a senior deputy district attorney, collected 71 percent of the vote to 29 percent for his opponent, county child welfare lawyer Brent Woodward.
In the other race, William "Billy" Terrence, who is also a senior deputy district attorney, was a 70-30 winner over Fresno lawyer Roger D. Wilson.
On Wednesday, Mangano and Terrence both said they were thankful for the support they received at the ballot box and promised to work hard and ensure fair justice for everyone coming to their courtrooms.
They also praised their opponents for running a clean, positive campaign.
Most of all, Terrance and Mangano wanted to thank the judges already on the Superior Court bench. They both said they look forward to learning from them.
"It was an incredible experience," Terrence said of running for office. "Now I am ready to learn how to conduct a trial from the best."
The chance to vote for a judge is rare. The term is for six years. In Tuesday's election, eight Fresno Superior Court judges ran unopposed. The job pays $200,042 a year.
The two seats are open because Judges Dennis Peterson and Edward Sarkisian Jr. are retiring. The new term starts in January.
According to the Secretary of State website, Mangano led fundraising with $114,660 in contribution and had $91,604 in expenditures, as of May 19. During that same period, Woodward received $13,261 and spent $9,755.
Terrence raised $77,354 as of May 19 and spent $63,272. Wilson raised $42,655 and spent $32,529.
Terrence, 40, of Clovis, has a law degree from Whittier College. He began practicing law in December 2004 and is a certified criminal law specialist with the State Bar of California. He has been with the District Attorney's Office since 2007. He also is a Clovis planning commissioner, a seat he'll have to give up when he becomes a judge.
His key endorsements included District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, who made calls to voters on his behalf; Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer; and the Fresno County Prosecutors Association. He also has the support of all five county supervisors: Buddy Mendes, Sal Quintero, Andreas Borges, Brian Pacheco and Nathan Magsig.
Terrence said he began thinking about becoming a judge when he was in law school while reading appellate decisions. It was then he realized how important a judge's job is to society.
Over the years, Terrence said three people on the Fresno bench inspired him: retired Judge Wayne Ellison and Judges Arlan Harrell and Jonathan Conklin. From being in their courtrooms, Terrence said, he learned to be a better lawyer.
And If anyone deserves extra credit for his success Tuesday, Terrence said Smittcamp is one: "She truly wants people in her office to succeed." The other is Quintero, whom Terrence said was the first big name to pledge his support. "Supervisor Quintero made me realize 'I can do it,'" Terrence said.
Mangano, 45, of Clovis, has a law degree from Boalt Hall at UC Berkeley and has been with the District Attorney's Office for 15 years. He also had a number of of big endorsements, including from the Fresno Police Officers Association, Clovis Police Officers Association, Dyer and Sheriff Margaret Mims. He also is endorsed by 25 retired or current Superior Court judges , as well as four county supervisors: Quintero, Mendes, Magsig and Pacheco..
Mangano said he began thinking about becoming a judge while prosecuting cases. He said he and other lawyers are fortunate to appear in front of "extraordinary judges who every day exhibit the skill, patience, and empathy in tackling significant issues."
He said he promised to be like them: "committed to professionalism."
"I plan to be fair and impartial and treat people with respect," Mangano said.
Mangano said he and his supporters put in a lot of hard work. But he said it was worth it. That's because during the campaign, he said, he met a lot of people for the first time. These people, he said, all had a common goal of making Fresno a better place. "It was an incredible experience. Something that you don't always get," Mangano said.
This story was originally published June 5, 2018 at 9:41 PM with the headline "Terrence, Mangano thank supporters, voters for Fresno Superior Court election victories."