Friday, June 27 12:25 pm

Georgia Supreme Court Justice Robert Benham, the state's first African American justice (and the first African American to be elected statewide in Georgia in 1984 to the Court of Appeals) will run unopposed for re-election this year.  No one emerged to run against him as of noon Friday, when the qualifying period ended.  In the past two election cycles, prominent jurists have faced well-funded challengers from the Chamber of Commerce and conservative religious groups.  This year, a seat on the powerful Court of Appeals is open, and it is likely the same groups that have battled over the Supreme Court will focus their time and money there instead.