Moore withdraws from race for judge'€™s seat

Patrick E. Moore has withdrawn from a campaign for judge in 22nd Judicial Court’s Division B, a seat vacated by retiring judge Elaine W. DiMiceli.

That leaves two competitors for the seat in the Oct. 4 election, A.J. Hand, a Republican from Covington, and Reggie Laurent, a Republican from Slidell.

Although he feels like he’s still the “best qualified candidate,” Moore said he can’t afford to quit his job to campaign.

“To win the race I would have to quite my job 100 percent,” he said. “I wish I could tell you I was a fat cat with a plantation home, but I’m not. I’ve got clients that need my everyday attention.”

Moore, a Madisonville lawyer with the firm Daigle, Fisse and Kessenich, lives in Covington. Since 2003, he’s served as a judge in Covington’s Mayor’s Court.