FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky judge who has drawn criticism from Republicans for his rulings involving litigation over laws and other state government issues has defeated a challenger backed by many within the GOP.
Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd won by several thousand votes and can serve one other eight years on the bench, news outlets reported.
Judicial races are nonpartisan in Kentucky, but challenger Joe Bilby was openly supported by Republicans who’ve criticized Shepherd’s rulings. Bilby works as an attorney for the state’s Republican agriculture commissioner and identified himself as a “constitutional conservative,”
Shepherd’s campaign touted his experience as a judge who wasn’t afraid to rule against either political party.
Lawsuits difficult laws on constitutional grounds or against some state agencies are typically filed within the Franklin Circuit.
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