Abortion debate plays out in Georgia Supreme Court race

The battle over two seats on Georgia’s Supreme Court is heating up.

This week, three major organizations announced support for candidates in this year’s contested races. Incumbent Justice Charlie Bethel is being challenged by Miracle Rankin, a personal injury attorney and former president of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, and former Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan is challenging incumbent Justice Sarah Warren. 

2 attorneys launch campaigns challenging GOP-appointed justices on Georgia’s highest court

The seats are considered nonpartisan roles, but advocacy groups on both ends of the political spectrum are working to cast the election as a referendum over abortion rights. 

On Wednesday, Reproductive Freedom for All, a nonprofit organization that opposes abortion restrictions, announced its endorsement of Jordan and Rankin.  On Thursday, Planned Parenthood Votes pledged to pour $750,000 into an ad campaign supporting the two candidates and casting the incumbent justices as “politicians in robes.”

Bethel and Warren were among the six justices who issued a ruling to reinstate Georgia’s six-week abortion ban in 2024. 

Also on Thursday, Bethel and Warren received an endorsement from Frontline Policy Action, an evangelical 501(c)(4) organization that opposes abortion access, which cast the two challengers as “a pro-abortion team seeking to fundamentally change the nature of the Court.”

Neil Bitting, a spokesperson for Warren’s campaign, said her bid for re-election includes support from both liberal and conservative voters.

“Justice Warren has demonstrated her commitment to decide cases fairly and impartially without predetermining outcomes,” Bitting said in a statement. “For that reason, she has built a broad coalition of support from Georgia voters across the political spectrum.” 

Will Hampson, a spokesperson for Bethel’s campaign, said he “welcomes support of all voters and groups committed to an independent and impartial judiciary and the constitutional rule of law.”

In a statement, Rankin said she viewed her endorsements as an honor and vowed to protect Georgians’ constitutional rights.

“I also think voters should pay close attention to the groups behind my opponent,” Rankin added. “When organizations known for extreme positions see a seat on Georgia’s highest court as critical to their goals, that tells Georgians a great deal about what is at stake in this election.”

In a statement, Jordan emphasized the power that the state’s Supreme Court has over Georgian’s reproductive rights.

“As privacy, choice, and reproductive freedom come under attack by politicians in Washington and here at home, Georgia’s Supreme Court is the last line of defense for Georgians’ fundamental rights,” she said. “Voters need to know what groups are backing each candidate, and consider what that says about the values and perspectives they would bring to the bench.”

Warren and Bethel were both appointed to the court in 2018 and then reelected to six-year terms in 2020. Bethel served as a Republican state senator from north Georgia before joining the bench.

As nonpartisan offices, the races will be decided during the May 19 statewide primary election. Voter registration for the primary closes on April 20.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify that Planned Parenthood Votes does not officially endorse candidates.