With the November election looming over us, the Presidential election and Amendment 2 are certainly the races receiving the most attention in Kentucky. However, voters must remember that several other races are on their ballots, including many non-partisan elections. One of those races is the Kentucky Supreme Court election for the 5th district. The 5th district covers Fayette, Jessamine, Woodford, Franklin, Scott, Bourbon, Clark, and Madison counties. This race is for an open seat on the KY Supreme Court after Justice Van Meter’s retirement from the bench.
As a non-partisan race, voters who vote straight ticket must still vote in this individual race, otherwise they will lose their vote. The winner of this Supreme Court election could decide the future of Kentucky on many crucial issues, such as abortion, redistricting, and school choice. Two candidates are running for the 5th district: Erin Izzo and Pamela Goodwine.
Judge Pamela Goodwine currently sits on the Kentucky Court of Appeals in Lexington after winning the seat in 2018. She is currently a registered independent; however, she was previously a registered Democrat before she took the bench. Judge Goodwine has received support from Planned Parenthood (the nation’s largest abortion mill), the Kentucky Fairness Campaign (a radical LGBTQ group), the Louisville teachers’ union, and Gov. Andy Beshear. Voters should take note of these notable endorsements.
Why would these far-left organizations and individuals be attempting to influence the Supreme Court? Might they like to see the Court legislate from the bench since the General Assembly has little interest in their ideas? Planned Parenthood has already challenged Kentucky’s prohibition on abortion twice. Thankfully, that ban remains in effect. However, observers have noted that radical pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood are likely waiting until they get a friendlier court before bringing another challenge to that ban. Their involvement in this race exposes their continued efforts to see activist judges invent a false “right” to kill an unborn child in the Kentucky Constitution.
Erin Izzo is a lawyer and arbitrator in Lexington. This is the first time she has run for any office, and she is a registered Republican. Izzo has received the recommendation from Kentucky Right to Life and has the endorsement of Representative Matt Lockett and several local Republican groups. Our recently released voter guide, powered by iVoterGuide, covers this important race. Izzo was evaluated as an “originalist,” which means she believes that laws should always be interpreted according to their objective original meaning. Goodwine was evaluated as “lean activist,” which means she does not believe laws should always be interpreted according to their objective original meaning.
The Family Foundation does not make candidate endorsements; however, we provide voter resources so voters may make informed decisions about the races on their ballot. Please utilize our resources to make the most informed decision possible, in this Supreme Court race and others. And do not forget to vote in the non-partisan races, like judicial races, school board races, and constitutional amendments! Those elections are just as important as the races with partisan candidates. You can get your personalized voter guide for the 2024 election at VoteKentucky.us.
