Tim Nader leading in San Diego judicial race over Paul Starita

In a race for a seat on the San Diego Superior Court bench, Tim Nader, a deputy attorney general and former mayor of Chula Vista, held a lead over federal prosecutor Paul Starita just after polls closed Tuesday evening.

In the lone judicial race this general election, voters were faced with a choice between two attorneys who have spent their careers largely in the public sector, though in different parts. The winner will take the seat opened with the retirement of Judge Louis R. Hanoian.

Nader welcomed the early lead. “I feel pretty good about it now,” he said.

Nader is a deputy in the state office of the attorney general, where he has spent much of his legal career. He worked as a criminal prosecutor for several years and for the past 12 years has worked in the civil division.

He has also served on the Chula Vista City Council, including as mayor, and the Southwestern Community College District governing board.

Starita by contrast has spent his legal career on the federal side. He is a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego where he has worked since 2004 in the environmental and civil divisions. He has also served as judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps.

During the campaign Nader emphasized his experience in the state court system as a streng th, and that he would not have to get up to speed on state law if elected. He noted his experience in state criminal law as well as civil litigation, family and environmental law, and his background in Chula Vista and at Southwestern setting public policy.

Starita highlighted his experience as a longtime federal prosecutor and military lawyer, and noted that he spent two years working as a civil litigator at a law firm in Los Angeles before starting his career as a prosecutor.

The nonpartisan San Diego County Bar Association gave Starita its highest rating of “Exceptionally Qualified.” Nader was given the second highest rating of “Well Qualified.”