Georgia Supreme Court justice holds onto seat in race centered on abortion

Georgia Supreme Court Justice Andrew Pinson won reelection Tuesday, according to Decision Desk HQ. 

Pinson staved off a challenge from former Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.), who challenged Pinson for his spot on the state’s high court. He was one of four justices up for reelection on the nine-member bench, but he was the only one to see a contested race.  

Pinson was tapped by Gov. Brian Kemp (R) in 2022 to the Georgia Supreme Court and has previously served as a judge on the state’s Court of Appeals and as solicitor general.  

Barrow heavily leaned into the issue of abortion and criticized the sitting justice over his stance on it. Pinson has argued Barrow has misrepresented his record.  

A complaint initiated within the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission warned Barrow that he was going too far in what he could say on abortion as a candidate.  

Barrow has also bristled at accusations that he’s politicized a judicial race, telling The Hill in an interview regarding abortion that “it’s a constitutional issue, that is not politicization.”   

But the Georgia Democrat also faced an uphill battle given that sitting justices rarely lose reelection.