Somewhat hidden from the headlines in the upcoming June 9 election are two nonpartisan races for Georgia’s State Supreme Court justices. And this time, both sitting judges are facing opposition.
That’s a little odd — in the 175-year history of the Supreme Court, no sitting justice has ever been defeated when running for election. But in a year that has already been tabbed as “unique and unprecedented” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Justices Charles Bethel and Sarah Warren are facing opposition.
Bethel, of Dalton, was appointed to his current judicial post by then-Gov. Nathan Deal in 2018. Prior to that, Bethel served one term on the Dalton City Council (2006-09) and three terms as the Georgia Senator for the 54th District (2010-16). In 2016 he was elected to a fourth term but stepped down when he was appointed to serve on the Georgia Court of Appeals starting in 2017.
He is being opposed by Beth Beskin who has taken a unique route to this race against Bethel. Beskin, a Buckhead resident, served in the House of Representatives (District 54) for two terms (2015-18), before being defeated by Democrat Betsy Holland in the 2018 general election.
Last fall Beskin campaigned to run in the 2020 election to succeed retiring Justice Robert Benham, but his replacement was appointed when he resigned instead of completing his term.
Beskin then announced she was going to run for the seat held by Justice Keith Blackwell, who announced in February he would retire in November, about a month before his term ends. On the second day of qualifying, Beskin attempted to qualify for the election to succeed Blackwell. However, Gov. Brian Kemp announced that he would appoint Blackwell’s successor and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced there would be no election for that seat.
Beskin and John Barrow, a former Congressman from Athens who also planned to run for Blackwell’s seat, filed lawsuits in the case, but a Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled against both suits. Both appealed to the State Supreme Court but it was also denied.
On the final day of qualifying, Beskin filed paperwork to run against Bethel.
Both Bethel and Beskin are running on their experience. Bethel seems to be winning the endorsement battle — touting endorsements from Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan; former governors Nathan Deal and Roy Barnes; former attorneys general Mike Bowers and Sam Olens; DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond; former Senator and Gubernatorial candidate Jason Carter, 40 state legislators and 17 district attorneys.
In the other race, Justice Sarah Warren formed her campaign committee in February 2019 and began talking to groups across the state before the COVID-19 shutdown. Warren, a Deal appointee in 2018, is running her first campaign. So far, she has picked up bipartisan endorsements from Deal, Barnes and former U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson.
In January 2017, Warren was named solicitor general, becoming the state’s chief appellate lawyer and adviser to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr.
She is being challenged by Hal Moroz, Dougherty County’s deputy chief assistant district attorney. He previously served as a judge for Camden County’s Magistrate Court and St. Marys’ municipal court. A 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Moroz started a charity, Veterans Law Center, that provides counsel and support for military vets.
