This is a surprise race for the Georgia Supreme Court, in that the challenger to Justice Charlie Bethel intended to qualify for a different race. Beth Beskin had planned on competing against John Barrow for a seat being vacated by Justice Keith Blackwell.
Due to a quirk in Georgia elections law – a law upheld by Georgia’s Supreme Court – that election will now be held in 2022. In the interim, Governor Kemp will have the opportunity to appoint Blackwell’s successor.
While Beskin and Barrow both sued to be able to qualify for an election that was cancelled, Beskin also took the step to qualify in a different race. This brings us to next month’s elections for Supreme Court. Judicial races in Georgia are placed on all primary ballots, but are non-partisan and decided either on the day of the primary or after a summer runoff if required.
Both Bethel and Beskin are former Republican legislators, with Justice Bethel formerly representing the Dalton area in the Senate and Beskin having represented Buckhead in the State House. I know, like, and respect both of them.
I’ll also confess that I wanted to see Beskin on the 2018 statewide ballot, just to emphasize my respect for her is high. I don’t see the denied opportunity for a judicial election as a reason to remove Justice Bethel from the Supreme Court, however.
Bethel has been part of an overt move to bring Georgia’s highest courts out of the realm of legal ivory towers and into one that can be understood by everyday Georgians. One example from his days on the Court of Appeals was in a dissent in a ruling on an improper search.
The case involved police entering a backyard party without a warrant nor without knocking on the front door of the home in order to make a drug arrest for someone smoking marijuana. Bethel in what became known as the “mullet doctrine” argued that police had a duty to conduct business in the front before going to the party in the back.
Bringing a direct, approachable, and easy to understand temperament (and an occasional bit of humor) to Georgia’s highest court is a move that voters should ratify next month. That’s not just my opinion. It’s one that is shared by a long list of notable Georgians, on the left and the right.
They include Governor Brian Kemp, who wants Bethel to keep on chopping, and Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan. Former Governor Nathan Deal, who originally appointed Bethel to the Court of Appeals and then to the Supreme Court, maintains his support. Former Governor Roy Barnes, the most recent Democrat to occupy the Governor’s mansion and someone who knows “a bit” about the practice of law himself, as well as Jason Carter – also a lawyer and former Democratic nominee for Governor, back Bethel.
DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond and Senator Jen Jordan bring a left-of-center, urban/suburban blessing of Bethel remaining on the Court. Notables such as Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black and Southwest Georgia’s PSC Commissioner Jason Shaw anchor the conservative/rural flank.
In an era of divided partisan politics, the list of endorsements Bethel has amassed from all corners of Georgia’s political spectrum are an accomplishment in itself as well as a testament to the respect he has garnered in his short time on the court.
I wish Beth Beskin well in a potential future race, a truly do. For this race, however, I’m giving my vote to Charlie Bethel.
A list of Bethel’s endorsements (per April 29th and May 20th press releases) is as follows:
Gov. Brian Kemp
Gov. Nathan Deal
Gov. Roy Barnes
Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan
Sen. Jason Carter, Former Democratic Nominee for Governor
DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond
Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black
PSC Commissioner Jason Shaw
Sam Olens, Former Attorney General
Mike Bowers, Former Attorney General
Congressman Buddy Carter, District 1
Congressman Barry Loudermilk, District 11
Congressman Tom Graves, District 14
Sen. Lester Jackson, District 2
Sen. William Ligon, District 3
Sen. Jen Jordan, District 6
Sen. Tyler Harper, District 7
Sen. PK Martin, District 9
Sen. Dean Burke, District 11
Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, District 12
Sen. Bruce Thompson, District 14
Sen. Ed Harbison, District 15
Sen. John Kennedy, District 18
Sen. Blake Tillery, District 19
Sen. Harold Jones, District 22
Sen. Jesse Stone, District 23
Sen. Burt Jones, District 25
Sen. Mike Dugan, District 30
Sen. Michael ‘Doc’ Rhett, District 33
Sen. Lindsey Tippins, District 37
Sen. Steve Henson, District 41
Sen. Elena Parent, District 42
Sen. Butch Miller, District 49
Sen. Steve Gooch, District 51
Sen. Jeff Mullis, District 53
Sen. Chuck Payne, District 54
Sen. John Albers, District 56
Rep. Kasey Carpenter, District 4
Rep. Jason Ridley, District 6
Rep. Rick Jasperse, District 11
Rep. Wes Cantrell, District 22
Rep. Bert Reeves, District 34
Rep. Teri Anulewicz, District 42
Rep. Micah Gravley, District 67
Rep. Demetrius Douglas, District 78
Rep. Scott Holcomb, District 81
Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick, District 93
Rep. Terry England, District 116
Rep. Houston Gaines, District 117
Rep. Berry Fleming, District 121
Rep. Bob Trammel, District 132
Rep. Richard Smith, District 134
Rep. James Beverly, District 143
Stacey Evans, Former Representative
Meagan Hanson, Former Representative
Edward Lindsey, Former Representative
Ronnie Mabra, Former Representative
Chad Nimmer, Former Representative
Sheriff Jud Smith, Barrow County
Sheriff Clarke Millsap, Bartow County
Sheriff David Davis, Bibb County
Sheriff Josh Hilton, Calhoun County
Sheriff Steve Thomas, Franklin County
Sheriff Mitch Ralston, Gordon County
Sheriff Donni Harrison, Greene County
Sheriff Joey Terrell, Habersham County
Sheriff Gerald Couch, Hall County
Sheriff Brad White, Lamar County
Sheriff Stacy Jarrard, Lumpkin County
Sheriff Brad Freeman, Monroe County
Sheriff Gary Langford, Murray County
Sheriff Ramsey Bennett, Pierce County
Sheriff Danny Brannen, Pulaski County
Sheriff Joe Chapman, Walton County
Sheriff Howard Sills, Putnam County
Sheriff Shane Tondee, Schley County
Sheriff Darrell Dix, Spalding County
Sheriff Randy Shirley, Stephens County
Sheriff Jeff Watson, Taylor County
Sheriff Gene Scarbrough, Tift County
Sheriff Mack Mason, Union County
Sheriff Dan Kilgore, Upson County
Sheriff Steve Wilson, Walker County
Sheriff Joe Chapman, Walton County
Sheriff Randy Dely, Webster County
Sheriff Randy Rigdon, Wheeler County
Sheriff Neal Walden, White County
Sheriff Scott Chitwood, Whitfield County
Sheriff Don Whitaker, Worth County
DA Tom Durden, Atlanta District
DA Jackie Johnson, Brunswick District
DA Richard Mallard, Ogeechee District
DA Dick Perryman, Alapaha District
DA Brad Shealy, Southern District
DA George Hartwig, Houston District
DA Lewis Lamb, South Western District
DA Sherry Boston, Stone Mountain District
DA Herb Cranford, Coweta District
DA Darius Pattillo, Flint District
DA Rosemary Greene, Cherokee District
DA Bert Poston, Conasauga District
DA Buzz Franklin, Lookout Mountain District
DA Hayward Altman, Middle District
DA Tim Vaughn, Oconee District
DA Allison Sosebee, Appalachian District
DA Daniel Porter, Gwinnett District
Mayor Hardie Davis, Augusta