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ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. -- An Onondaga County legislator says he wants to change jobs and he's hoping voters in the 5th judicial district endorse the idea.

Thomas Buckel announced his candidacy for State Supreme Court Judge. There are three positions to be filled by voters in the fall elections.

Buckel vowed to supporters that he would set his own policy of removing himself from any cases, in his first two years in office, if anyone involved in those cases was a political contributor.

"When you have three-quarters of the people, or maybe 80 percent, who do not believe that they're getting a fair shake in court. Who believe, as measured by national and state polls, that justice is affected by campaign donations. We have to act," Buckel said.

Buckel also promised to be an advocate for fair representation of the needy in legal proceedings. By jumping into the judicial race, Buckel has backed away from another contest he had been considering, a race for Congress in the 25th District.