NC Republicans Make Official Endorsements in Statewide Judicial Races | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, NC     North Carolina Republicans have officially made endorsements in the 2018 statewide judicial races. Selecting these Republican candidates was the top issue during the three-day NCGOP State Convention and meeting of the Republican State Executive Committee. Republicans made a temporary rule change to allow the Party to endorse in judicial races where multiple Republican candidates are possible.

    The North Carolina Republican Party is endorsing the following candidates:

• NC Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jackson (incumbent)
• Court of Appeals candidate Chuck Kitchen
• Court of Appeals candidate Andrew Heath
• Court of Appeals candidate Jefferson Griffin

    The formal endorsements from the NCGOP's governing Executive Committee allow the Party to advocate and mobilize voters for the election of these particular Republican candidates. Delegates made clear their desires for traditional judicial primaries to return in future election years. The Party also passed a resolution calling for non-endorsed Republicans interested in serving on the State Supreme Court or Court of Appeals to refrain from filing in this year's election and respect the Party's judicial endorsements.

    "When it comes to the statewide judicial races, North Carolina Republicans have spoken," said NCGOP Chairman Robin Hayes. "We have selected qualified judicial candidates that respect the rule of law, the North Carolina and U.S. Constitutions, and understand that the role of our judges is to show judicial restraint in judging and not to legislate from the bench."

    The NCGOP also began to lay out its case against the North Carolina Democratic Party's leading judicial candidate for N.C. Supreme Court, Anita Earls. The NCGOP released a new website, https://www.dangerousanitaearls.com, which lays out Earls' frightening record of hypocrisy and fighting on the side of ruthless and dangerous criminals. The website details Earls' history of standing beside gang members, advocating for the release of guiltily and dangerous criminals, and advocating for cop killing perpetrators over victims.

    "The North Carolina Republican Party has made it clear that we see Anita Earls not only as a danger to the judiciary, but a danger to human life if she is elected," said NCGOP Vice-Chairman Michele Nix.

    The NCGOP also passed multiple resolutions supporting 2nd Amendment rights and condemning Democratic Party leaders for attempting to restrict the constitutional rights of responsible law abiding gun owners.

    "Opposing Democrat efforts to restrict gun rights will clearly be a top campaign issue in legislative races this fall," said Hayes.

    North Carolina Republicans are energized heading into the 2018 elections. They also enthusiastically endorsed the attempts to secure the RNC 2020 Convention, and wanted to send a clear message that the party is ready and willing to make the convention a success if North Carolina is selected.

• Contact: Emily Weeks
•     Emily.Weeks@ncgop.org