Associate Justice Race – Judge Cheri Beasley (D) vs. Mike Robinson (R) (Judicial races are technically non-partisan and party affiliation for the candidates will not be listed on the ballot)

This race wasn’t supposed to play out like this. Originally, the plan was for Republicans to support Judge Ola Lewis for this seat. Currently, it’s held by Cheri Beasley, controversially appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Bev Perdue in 2011.

Lewis changed course once fellow Republican Mike Robinson entered the race. It’s possible that in a low-turnout primary with a competitive Republican Senate primary on the ballot, both Lewis and Robinson could have knocked Beasley out of contention (only the top two vote-getters in these judicial races advance to the general.) Instead, Lewis switched over to the Chief Justice race, taking her donations with her, leaving Republicans no choice but to support Robinson.

While Robinson wasn’t the candidate most Republicans thought they would be supporting initially, the rookie candidate seems to be faring well. As of July, he had over $130,000 cash on hand compared to the incumbent’s $85,000. A registered Republican, Robinson practices law in Winston-Salem. He says no one on the Court has practiced law in the last decade and that’s a reason you should vote for him.

Before Beasley started serving in 2012, she was the first black woman to be elected to the NC Court of Appeals without prior appointment by a governor. Being an African American and also a woman could be an electoral asset. Beasley says you should vote for her because she’s the only candidate with any judicial experience and, contrary to what conservatives might think, brings no political or ideological agenda to the Court.

Both candidates lament the politicization of judicial races and the recent trend of big spending in them. Beasley, who has less cash on hand, laments it more. A good article on how justices like Beasley are forced to turn into fundraisers is here. The candidates participated in a forum conducted by UNC-TV and shared their judicial philosophy and their relevant experience. That can be viewed here.

The term will be for eight years.

Cheri Beasley
Associate Justice, North Carolina Supreme Court
Age: 48
Birthplace: Chicago
Education: B.A., Rugers University/Douglass College; J.D., University of Tennessee
Religion: Baptist
Married, two sons

Mike Robinson
Attorney, Robinson & Lawing, LLP
Age: 59
Birthplace: Winston-Salem, NC
Education: B.A. Economics, Davidson College; J.D., University of North Carolina
Married, four children

John Wynne

John Wynne is the “conservative voice” at PoliticsNC, where he also provides polling analysis and commentary on legislative campaigns. When not writing about politics, he enjoys gardening and listening to opera. Contact: johncwynne@gmail.com.