A federal judge in Georgia has blocked a state judicial committee from publicly airing misconduct allegations against two Democratic-backed state Supreme Court candidates, just one day before voters head to the polls.
U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner issued a temporary restraining order Monday, preventing the special committee convened by the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) from releasing a statement that accused candidates Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan of violating judicial conduct rules. The panel had alleged the two violated a Georgia rule barring judicial candidates from endorsing one another and another rule against making pledges on issues that could come before the court.
The JQC special committee, tasked with reviewing misconduct complaints, released findings over the weekend claiming Rankin and Jordan—both endorsed by prominent Democrats—broke the code by campaigning together and appearing at reproductive rights events. The committee also said Jordan promoted an endorsement from a reproductive rights group on social media.
Gardner, who is the sister of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, ruled that the candidates' speech about reproductive rights and endorsements from non-party groups is protected under the First Amendment. She noted that none of the language cited by the JQC contained explicit pledges on how they would rule. The judge said the candidates would suffer “immediate and irreparable” harm from the statement in the final days of a “hotly contested election” without proper procedural safeguards.
However, Gardner denied the candidates' request to end the ongoing misconduct investigation entirely. The JQC panel acknowledged its findings were not a final determination and that the complaint could be referred for further action.
Rankin is challenging Justice Charlie Bethel, and Jordan is running against Justice Sarah Warren—both appointees of former Republican Governor Nathan Deal. Only one of the nine justices on Georgia's high court was not appointed by a GOP governor. The races are officially nonpartisan but have drawn significant partisan backing: liberal groups support Rankin and Jordan, while conservatives back Bethel and Warren.
Jordan condemned the committee's move as “unconstitutional” and “a purely political move to keep voters in the dark.” She stressed that her speech is protected by the First Amendment and essential for voters. Rankin similarly called the attack political, stating that the U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized the public's right to hear judicial candidates' views.
Georgia Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey echoed those sentiments, accusing the panel of trying to silence candidates. The stakes are high: state Supreme Court races have become flashpoints in battleground states, often deciding key issues like redistricting, abortion access, and union rights. Former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris have endorsed Rankin and Jordan, while Georgia Governor Brian Kemp backs their opponents. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a rising Democratic star, donated $15,000 to a group supporting them.
While liberals face an uphill battle to break conservative control of the court, Republicans cannot take Tuesday's race for granted. Two Democrats won seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission last year in a surprising upset. The election outcome could reshape the court's ideological balance, especially if Rankin and Jordan prevail despite the last-minute controversy.
