A judge threw out a new state law Monday, ruling that it violated the constitutional rights of at least two politicians whose 2018 campaigns the law had targeted. Chris Anglin, a Republican candidate for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court, had sued the legislature along with Rebecca Edwards, a Democrat who is running to become a district court judge in Wake County. Earlier this summer, the legislature passed a new law that would have prevented Anglin or Edwards from being able to have their party affiliations on the ballot. They argued that the law unfairly targeted them because their competitors in this November’s elections would still have their own parties listed on the ballot. Anglin, who is believed to have been the main target of the new law, is one of two Republicans running for the Supreme Court seat against a single Democratic candidate.
“Their actions have shown exactly why I’m running,” Anglin said Monday after winning the case. “They want to make the judiciary an extension of the legislature.”
The GOP had previously endorsed the other Republican, incumbent Barbara Jackson. Anglin had been a registered Democrat until shortly before he entered the race, and his campaign consultant is Democratic operative Perry Woods — leading Republicans who control the General Assembly to cry foul about Anglin’s intentions.
Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore can appeal the ruling, but neither committed to an appeal right away.
Full Article: NC Supreme Court: Anglin wins lawsuit against Phil Berger, Tim Moore | News & Observer.