New Political Action Committee May Influence North Carolina Judicial Election

The establishment of a PAC for a supreme court race may undermine the public financing program and reintroduce partisanship in judicial races, according to the court of appeals judge who is challenging an incumbent justice. The legislature adopted public financing and nonpartisan ballots for appellate court elections in 2004. The PAC known as N.C. Judicial Coalition supports the incumbent and has received $75,000 from a Washington-based group called the Judicial Crisis Network. This election will determine whether the 4-3 balance on the supreme court favors liberals or conservatives.