I would urge voters to support incumbent Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jackson, who is running for re-election, and District Court Judge Jefferson Griffith, who is seeking a seat on the Court of Appeals. Both are Republicans; however, there is a major difference in these two races and others, all of which have one Republican vs. one Democrat on the ballot.

Democratic operatives talked a Democrat into changing his registration to Republican shortly before the filing deadline in an effort to divide the Republican vote and insure a win by the liberal Democratic candidate. These same two Democratic operatives are running the now-Republican’s campaign. That person has no judicial experience compared to Justice Jackson’s two terms on the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

District Court Judge Jefferson Griffith is seeking a seat on the Court of Appeals and is endorsed by the North Carolina Republican Party and former Democratic Chief Justice Burley Mitchell. Another Republican is running so the GOP vote will be divided giving the Democrat a good chance to win.

I am not endorsing these candidates because they are Republicans. Our judicial system is too important for that. I have known and admired Barbara Jackson for nearly 30 years. Although I have known Jefferson Griffith for only six years, we are active together in the Kiwanis Club of Raleigh. Both are honest, fair, and hard-working and have the right temperament to serve the people of North Carolina.

— Phil Kirk

Raleigh