Committee voices concern over increasing partisanship in Supreme Court race in the Bluegrass region

The Kentucky Judicial Campaign Conduct Committee, which has monitored campaigns in nonpartisan judicial elections for 18 years, is increasingly concerned that partisan politics are playing a role in this year’s only race for justice of the Supreme Court of Kentucky.

A mail piece endorsing Republican candidates and Erin Izzo

The committee’s concern increased this week when it learned that the county Republican organizations in five of the eight counties in the 5th Supreme Court District have endorsed candidate Erin Izzo, and that she has advertised those endorsements on her Facebook page. In addition to the endorsements from the Franklin, Bourbon, Jessamine, Madison and Clark county parties, Izzo also posted a thank-you to the Fayette County Republican Party “for sharing information about me and others running for office this November.” The post links to a page with a list of “Fayette County Republican Candidates,” beginning with Donald J. Trump and ending with Izzo and this label: “Kentucky Supreme Court (Nonpartisan).” Meanwhile, the committee has become aware of a mail piece saying “Your Frankfort County [sic] Republican Party endorses these candidates, including “Erin Izzo for Supreme Court” with no mention that the race is nonpartisan.

The 5th Supreme Court District is outlined.
(Image from Bourbon County Republican Party)

The Kentucky Judicial Campaign Conduct Committee is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan group organized to safeguard the integrity of the judiciary in Kentucky judicial elections, which are nonpartisan. We believe that judicial elections are different from other elections, for good reason, and should remain that way. We have previously expressed concerned about partisanship in judicial elections, including this one. On June 17, we told Izzo’s opponent, Court of Appeals Judge Pamela Goodwine, that if she mentioned her endorsement by Gov. Andy Beshear’s political action committee, that would violate the spirit of Section 117 of the Kentucky Constitution, which makes judicial elections nonpartisan. Goodwine’s Facebook page includes photos from a June 14 Democratic Party event that shows her getting applause while standing at Beshear’s table, and another sitting with him. His endorsement is implied. Since then, no posts have mentioned him, and an Aug. 20 post shows Goodwine attending the Fayette County Republican picnic.

The voters of Kentucky approved Section 117 of our constitution in 1975 to separate the judiciary from partisan politics. Maintaining that separation has long been a major interest of our committee, which is made up of Democrats, Republicans and independents. We believe that political parties and partisan politicians should not make endorsements in nonpartisan elections, and that nonpartisan candidates should not seek such endorsements – because they give voters the idea that judges are just like any other politicians and that their decisions will be influenced by politics. That undermines public confidence in the judiciary, which helps a democratic republic function properly. Those who hold and seek judicial office should avoid actions that undermine public confidence in those offices.