Two incumbent Georgia Supreme Court justices won their elections Tuesday, fending off challengers who were backed by high-profile Democrats.
Incumbent justices Charles Bethel and Sarah Warren, who were appointed to the court by then-GOP Gov. Nathan Deal in 2018, defeated attorney Miracle Rankin and former Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan (D-GA).
Warren and Bethel also defeated challengers in the 2020 Georgia judicial election.
The Republican-nominated justices, Bethel and Warren, were backed by Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) and other Republicans. Their challengers, Jordan and Rankin, received endorsements from former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and other Democrats.
An incumbent Georgia judge has not lost an election in more than 100 years, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The contest for the state’s high court was designed to be nonpartisan at its founding in 1845.
This election, however, saw endorsements from top players in both parties. Additionally, the race saw over $4 million spent on ads in both contests, according to tracking firm AdImpact.
In early May, Obama endorsed Jordan and Rankin, arguing for the importance of state supreme courts.
“State supreme court justices play a critical role in defending your rights and freedoms, which is why the election happening in Georgia right now is so important,” the former president said in a social media post. “Make sure you have a plan to vote for Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankin, the only two candidates in the race with strong records of standing up for all Georgians.”
Kemp backed Warren and Bethel in a Facebook post, saying, “Georgia is the No. 1 state for business and the greatest place to live work and raise a family because we have nonpartisan, Supreme Court Justices like Sarah Warren and Charlie Bethel who uphold and defend our constitution every day.”
The Democrat-backed judicial candidates focused their campaign on undoing rulings that preserved abortion restrictions in the Peach State, which had sparked a legal battle in the weeks leading up to the campaign.
On Monday, a Georgia federal judge barred a state judicial committee from releasing a statement accusing Rankin and Jordan of violating judicial conduct rules after campaigning together and speaking about abortion rights.
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Warren stressed the significance of impartiality in Georgia elections, saying she was up against “negativity, partisan attacks and misleading ads” in the race.
“I am grateful to the many Georgians who have once again placed their trust in me to serve the role of justice and who have voted to ensure that our judicial branch remains separate, independent and nonpartisan,” she added. “It is a true honor to be able to continue serving my state.”