The Supreme Court has ruled–in a case that originated in Hillsborough County–that states may, indeed, limit candidates for elected state and localjudgeships from making a personal appeal for campaign contributions. They rejected the First Amendment free-speech rationale. “Judges are not politicians,” pointed out Chief Justice John Roberts.
Not up for a finding: Whether judges should be elected. Period. Just because surrogates, wink/nod, raise money on their behalf, doesn’t mean judicial candidates haven’t become de facto politicos on the campaign hustings. We can do better.