GOP-Backed Justices Prevail in Georgia in Unusually Spirited Supreme Court Elections
https://boltsmag.org/georgia-supreme-court-election-results-2026/One of Tuesday’s two supreme court races was a rout: Justice Sarah Warren led former Democratic state Senator Jen Jordan by about 19 percentage points early Wednesday.
The other contest was much closer: Justice Charlie Bethel, a former Republican state representative, led personal injury attorney Miracle Rankin by roughly 2 points when the Associated Press called the race shortly after midnight.
Results were delayed on Tuesday because gunshots near an elementary school in the morning resulted in an hourslong manhunt and shut down a polling site in the Atlanta suburbs. Voting eventually resumed there, but a judge ordered the site to remain open an extra four hours, which prevented Fulton County from releasing any of its results until after 11 p.m.
Both of Tuesday’s winners were appointed to the bench by former Republican Governor Nathan Deal and endorsed this spring by Republican Governor Brian Kemp, the state GOP, and various conservative groups. Jordan and Rankin ran with the support of former President Barack Obama, the state Democratic Party, and other left-leaning groups. Bethel and Warren each earned six-year terms, as did incumbent Justice Ben Land, who was unopposed on Tuesday.
Conservatives won re-election to Georgia’s supreme court, extending a 104-year streak of incumbent victories.
— Alex Burness (@burness.bsky.social) 2026-05-20T04:37:47.656Z
Tonight’s victors voted to ban abortion at six weeks and to effectively kill the Georgia prosecution of Trump for his 2020 “find 11,780 votes†interference. boltsmag.org/georgia-supr...
NEW: Two sitting supreme court justices prevailed in Georgia with GOP support, holding back a pair of liberal attorneys who challenged them & stressed the importance of state courts.
— Taniel (@taniel.bsky.social) 2026-05-20T04:18:41.228Z
The result continues a remarkable streak of no incumbent justice losing reelection in Georgia in 100+ years.
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