Georgia Justices Warren, Bethel Win 6-Year Terms as Democrats Fall Short on Abortion, Voting Rights
Updated
Updated · Bolts · May 20
Georgia Justices Warren, Bethel Win 6-Year Terms as Democrats Fall Short on Abortion, Voting Rights
7 articles · Updated · Bolts · May 20
Sarah Warren beat former state Sen. Jen Jordan by about 19 points, while Charlie Bethel held off Miracle Rankin by roughly 2 points, preserving conservative control of Georgia’s Supreme Court.
The losses undercut Democrats’ push to use state courts to challenge Georgia’s six-week abortion ban and defend voting rights after the U.S. Supreme Court’s late-April Callais ruling weakened the Voting Rights Act.
Tuesday’s unusually hard-fought but officially nonpartisan races drew heavy party backing on both sides, yet no sitting Georgia Supreme Court justice has lost reelection in 104 years.
Results were delayed after gunshots near an Atlanta-area elementary school triggered a manhunt and shut a polling site for hours; a judge then kept it open four extra hours, holding up Fulton County returns.
The outcome keeps an 8-1 court shaped by Republican governors in place ahead of 2028 redistricting fights and a high-stakes fall race to replace Gov. Brian Kemp.
When judicial candidates cannot discuss key issues, how can voters make informed decisions about who will protect their rights?