Incumbent
Charlie Bethel
IncumbentCharlie Bethel
GA Supreme Court: Bethel seat winner?
$174.9K
MAY 20, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Overview
Current roleJudge
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age50 years old (Mar 3, 1976)
GenderMale
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LocationGeorgia
BackgroundAttorney
EducationUniversity of Georgia, B.B.A. (1998)
Notable personal detailsCharles Jones (“Charlie”) Bethel is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, appointed in September 2018 by Governor Nathan Deal, after serving on the Georgia Court of Appeals. Raised in Dalton, Georgia, he earned a B.B.A. (1998) and J.D. (2001) from the University of Georgia. He previously practiced law in Dalton, worked in executive and legal roles in the flooring industry, served on the Dalton City Council, and served multiple terms in the Georgia State Senate.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
The candidate has supported repeal of the state estate tax, sponsored/Carried legislation creating tax exemptions and tax-credit incentives, and supported measures that allow or restructure government-imposed fees used to fund public programs, indicating a preference for tax reductions, targeted tax relief, and market-oriented tax policy changes rather than expansionary tax increases.
Healthcare
Charlie Bethel sponsored legislation advocating an interstate “Health Care Compact” that would return primary regulatory authority over health care to states and allow member states to suspend federal health-care regulations. His record as a Republican state senator emphasized state control of health policy rather than expansion of federal programs.
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Immigration & Border
As a Georgia state senator in 2011, Charlie Bethel sponsored legislation (SB 174) that would require Georgia jails to participate in the federal Secure Communities program, supporting state-level cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. This indicates a policy preference for stronger enforcement and use of law‑enforcement mechanisms to identify and refer undocumented immigrants to federal authorities.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Charlie Bethel has participated in rulings and court proceedings that upheld Georgia’s 2019 six-week abortion ban, and has expressed views consistent with the Dobbs decision when discussing the law. His record indicates support for significant restrictions on abortion while the statute includes limited exceptions (rape, incest, and threats to the mother’s health).
Climate & Energy
Charlie Bethel has opposed federal climate regulations such as the Clean Power Plan and supported state-level measures favoring energy industry flexibility and limiting federal regulatory reach. His legislative activity has aligned with policies that prioritize energy customers and businesses and promote ‘energy freedom’ approaches over aggressive emissions mandates.
Public Safety & Guns
As a Georgia state senator and later a justice, Bethel was associated with legislation and committee activity that expanded lawful firearms use, including measures to authorize use of suppressors for hunting and to return seized firearms to lawful owners rather than destroy them. These actions indicate a posture favoring gun-owner protections and law-enforcement support rather than new restrictive gun-control measures.
News
Charlie Bethel won his Georgia Supreme Court election race and kept his seat. The race was closely watched and drew major party involvement and heavy spending, but Bethel ultimately prevailed over Miracle Rankin.
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Republican-appointed Georgia Supreme Court justice fends off Democratic-backed challenger
Primary election season isn't over yet in GA. These races go to runoff
Endorsements
Endorsers of Charlie Bethel for GA Supreme Court: Bethel seat winner?
Barack Obama
Public figure
Barack Obama endorsed Charlie Bethel in the Georgia Supreme Court race.
NFIB Georgia PAC
Political organization
NFIB Georgia PAC endorsed Charlie Bethel in the 2026 Georgia Supreme Court race.
Kamala Harris
Public figure
Kamala Harris endorsed Charlie Bethel in the Georgia Supreme Court race.
SPLC Action Fund
Political organization
SPLC Action Fund endorsed Charlie Bethel for the 2026 Georgia Supreme Court race.
Georgia Equality
Public figure
Georgia Equality endorsed Charlie Bethel for the Georgia Supreme Court race.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Fundraising