Incumbent
Charlie Bethel
GA Supreme Court: Bethel seat winner?
$42.6K
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, BBA (1998)
Notable personal detailsCharles Jones (“Charlie”) Bethel is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Appointed to the court in September 2018 by Gov. Nathan Deal, he previously served on the Georgia Court of Appeals and earlier served in the Georgia State Senate after local service as an alderman for the City of Dalton. He earned a BBA (1998) and JD (2001) from the University of Georgia and worked as a federal district court law clerk before practicing law and holding executive/legal roles in the flooring industry.
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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.
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