Hello friends. Thanks for joining me in the NC Deep Dive. I'm your host, Amanda Benbow Lunn, and we are in the thick of the 2026 primary election season. Early voting starts in less than a week on Thursday, February 12th, with election day being Tuesday, March 3rd. When you go to vote, you will be handed a ballot based on your address and your party affiliation. If you are unaffiliated, sometimes also referred here as independent, then you will have your choice of which party's ballot you would like to vote. Please note that you are only able to cast one ballot, and that there are no primary ballots for the Libertarian, Green, or No Labels parties. Moreover, candidates for the general election in November who do not have a primary challenger will not appear on your primary ballot. They get a pass directly to the general election. Due to time constraints and the plethora of candidates, and my belief that having as much information as possible is of vast importance, this primary election segment will consist of me covering one race at a time and going over each candidate's website and what I can find in a simple Google search in case it's easier for you to take the information in this way. I'll also be reading over the answers they gave if they submitted any responses to our 2026 voters' guide questionnaire. If you are short on time, you can check out our NC Deep Dive Voter Guide for the 2026 primary election found pinned to our Facebook page or in this episode's show notes at www.ncdeepdive.com. There will be an easy way to access each candidate's website and research the candidates on your own if that is a better use of your time. Without further ado, friends, let's dive in. Next up, we're delving into the Democratic primary ballot and looking at the NC Court of Appeals Judge seat three race. There are two candidates, James Weldon Whalen and Christine Marie Walczyk. You are eligible to vote for one of these candidates. First up, we'll start with James Whalen. His website is Whalen4NC.com. It says James Whalen for North Carolina Court of Appeals. I'm James Whalen. I'm bringing a new generation to protect our rights. Here and across the country, politicians are bending and breaking rules to take more power for themselves at our expense. And our current court majorities have allowed abuses of power to go unchecked. I've protected our rights in Josh Stein's Department of Justice and private practice. Most recently, I helped ensure every lawful vote counted in Justice Allison Riggs' Supreme Court race. Now I'm running for the North Carolina Court of Appeals to stop the abuses of power, uphold our rights, and build a brighter future for our state. There's a button to donate along with a button to volunteer. Why James? James is part of a small group of North Carolina attorneys fighting to protect our rights on the front lines. As an appellate attorney in our Department of Justice, he fought gerrymandering in the U.S. Supreme Court and held domestic abusers accountable. Last year, he defended our votes and stopped a dangerous attempt to steal an election. At a time when our rights are under constant threat, we need James on our Court of Appeals. Read more. Everything we care about, from fair elections to fundamental rights to quality public schools, runs through our appellate courts. As an attorney, I've defended our rights. As a judge, I'll uphold your rights and apply the law fairly and faithfully, even when that means ruling against powerful politicians or special interests. Why this, why me, why now? Our rights are under attack, and we deserve judges who will defend them. Our current court have failed. They have allowed extreme partisan gerrymandering, blocked nearly $1 billion from our public schools, and sought to discard thousands of lawful votes. I am part of a small group of North Carolina attorneys fighting to protect our rights. I have fought gerrymandering, stood up for our public schools, and defended our votes. We have won on the law, but lost on the politics. Democrats have lost every Court of Appeals campaign since 2018. And if we lose this time, there will not be a single Democrat left on our court. The only way to secure our rights is to support a new generation of judicial candidates who have the right experience to meet this moment. That's why I'm running, and I hope to have your support. Meet James. Originally from Charlotte, James met his wife Anna at UNC Asheville. Before becoming an attorney, James interned on President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, worked in the NC General Assembly, and managed winning political campaigns. James earned a scholarship to UNC School of Law and graduated with honors. He began his legal career in Winston-Salem, clerking and being mentored by U.S. District Court Judge Loretta Biggs, the first African American woman appointed to the federal bench in North Carolina. James served as an appellate attorney in the North Carolina Department of Justice, where he litigated some of the most consequential cases to impact North Carolina. He fought gerrymandering in the U.S. Supreme Court, fought for our public schools, and held domestic abusers accountable. James is now in private practice at Brooks Pierce LLP in Raleigh. Earlier this year, he was part of the legal team that defended Justice Allison Riggs' victory and stopped a dangerous attempt to overturn a free and fair election. His firm represented Governors Roy Cooper and Josh Stein and fought attempts by the General Assembly to exercise executive power. James lives with his wife Anna, son, dog Sherlock, and Cat Clue in Raleigh. What even is the Court of Appeals? There are three circles. Trial courts is on the left. There's an arrow pointing to the Court of Appeals, which is what this race is for, and then there is an arrow pointing to the next circle to the right, which is the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals is a statewide court. Everyone gets a vote in choosing our judges, and its decisions affect us all. The court reviews thousands of criminal and civil cases each year, and while you might not hear about all of them, these cases can involve our most fundamental rights: the right to an abortion, to a fair trial, to free speech, to vote, and to have your vote count. And because of a recent law change, the Court of Appeals now has the final say in nearly 95% of appellate cases, including major constitutional questions. The Court of Appeals judges have a very different job from the trial judges we've seen in county courthouses or on TV. Court of Appeals judges sit in panels of three and do most of their work out of the courtroom, researching the law and deliberating over decisions with their colleagues. It might seem obvious, but candidates for the Court of Appeals should have experience with Court of Appeals cases before joining the appellate bench. James is the only candidate with appellate experience in his primary. A new approach to win. Democrats have lost every Court of Appeals race since 2018. We must be willing to learn from past mistakes and support new candidates who can win and uphold our rights. James is running a new kind of judicial campaign. He speaks clearly with voters about his values, the damage done by our current court majorities, and the ways better courts would improve our lives. Not everyone is comfortable with this approach. Some think judicial candidates should be silent on these issues. We will never win voters by being silent on what affects their lives most. We must have the courage to meet this moment. There are links for Facebook, Blue Sky, X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and LinkedIn, a button that you can change the language from English to Spanish. We support James. In this moment of crisis, we need judges who have a proven record of protecting our rights and will run strong campaigns to win our courts. James has defended our rights as an attorney, and he has the right background to win this election. Under endorsements, Bob Orr, former North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice, Burley Mitchell, former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice, Eva Clayton, former member of Congress, G.K. Butterfield, former NC Supreme Court Associate Justice and Congressman. Henry and Shirley Frye, former NC Supreme Court Chief Justice and Civil Rights Advocates. Patricia Timmins Goodson, former NC Supreme Court, Associate Justice. Walter Dalton, former Lieutenant Governor. Aisha Du, State Representative of Mecklenburg County. Alan Wellens, former State Senator of Johnston County. Alison Dahl, State Representative for Wake County. Amos Quick, State Representative for Guildford County. Angela Bryant, former state senator for Halifax, Nash, Vance, Warren, and Wilson counties. Ann McCown, former District Court Judge of Durham County. Billy Richardson, former state representative, Cumberland County. Brian Turner, State Representative of Buncombe County. Cynthia Ball, State Representative, Deputy Democratic Leader of Wake County. There are a number of other endorsements from elected leaders. Some of the ones that I see for Wake County include James Roberson, State Representative for Wake County. Mary Wills Bode, former state senator for Wake and Granville counties. Monika Johnson Hostler, State Representative for Wake County, Natalie Murdoch, State Senator for Durham County. Phil Rubin, State Representative for Wake County, Dr. David Cox, former Raleigh City Council Member for Wake County. Dustin Ingalls, Wendell Town Commissioner for Wake County. Lauren Freeman, District Attorney for Wake County. And those are all the endorsements that I see that are from people from Wake County. But there are, again, numerous people who have endorsed him. There is a button to volunteer. Volunteer with Team Whalen. Enter your contact information and volunteer interest below so we can contact you with opportunities to volunteer to help elect James to the NC Court of Appeals. You can check if you would like to help out by knocking doors, making phone calls, hosting events, or putting up a yard sign. Then there is a button for you to donate if you would like to do so. Doing the Google search, I found a few different articles, the first of which is Ballotpedia. James Whalen of the Democratic Party is running for election for the seat three judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. He is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on March 3rd, 2026. This candidate's campaign finance information for the 2026 election cycle was unavailable as of February 5th of this year. He did not fill out Ballotpedia Survey Questionnaire, but he did fill out our NC Deep Dive Voter's Guide. 1. Experience in preparation. What experience best prepares you for the work of an appellate judge? I have focused my career on defending our rights in high-stakes cases, including in the court I am running to join. Earlier this year, I was part of the legal team that defended Justice Allison Riggs's win and stopped a dangerous attempt to steal an election. Before private practice, I served as an appellate attorney in Josh Stein's Department of Justice, where I fought gerrymandering, fought for our public schools, and held domestic abusers accountable. I started my legal career clerking and being mentored by United States District Court Judge Loretta C. Biggs, the first African American woman to serve as a lifetime appointed federal judge in North Carolina. I have argued cases in our state and federal appellate courts. My experience has prepared me not only to serve on the Court of Appeals, but to uphold our rights in this unprecedented moment. I have seen in my cases how our current court majorities have damaged our state by allowing extreme partisan gerrymandering, blocking funding for our public schools, and attempting to throw out thousands of lawful ballots and undermine a democratic election. I am clear-eyed about the stakes in this race and able to clearly articulate them to voters. Legal leaders agree. Since I announced my campaign, five former NC Supreme Court justices have endorsed this race. All five have endorsed me, including former Chief Justice Henry Fry, former Chief Justice Burley Mitchell, former Justice Bob Orr, former Congressman and Justice G.K. Butterfield, and former Justice Patricia Timmins Goodson. They and leaders from across our state, including Representatives Cynthia Ball and Phil Rubin here in Wake, have assessed the quantity and quality of my experience and decided that I am the best candidate for the future of our courts. My opponent and I disagree. When asked about our current court majorities, she recently wrote that she is confident that Republican judges will set aside political and philosophical differences to reach fair and well-reasoned decisions in the vast majority of cases. As someone who has actually practiced in our appellate courts, I know that our current extreme majorities are not setting politics aside. They are doubling down. Democrats have lost every Court of Appeals campaign since 2018. The only way to change this losing streak and protect our rights is to educate voters about the damage the current majorities have done and explain how better courts will improve their lives. I am the only candidate in this race prepared to deliver that message. 2. Decision making. How do you approach cases where legal precedent may conflict with evolving interpretations of rights or justice? Our constitution should be interpreted in a way that honors the founding generation's belief that all individuals are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that the government should treat all individuals with dignity. This is particularly true of the North Carolina Constitution, which was rewritten and adopted in 1868 by abolitionists and reconstructionists driven to build a freer, more prosperous, better educated, multiracial, and multicultural North Carolina. I have worked to continue their legacy as an attorney and look forward to doing so as a judge by upholding our rights and seeking justice in each case. Panels of the Court of Appeals are bound by a precedent from prior panels, the NC Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. Since an appellate court's reasoning might apply to a wide range of future cases across the state, it is critical that appellate judges have appellate experience before taking the bench and the ability to think deeply about the consequences of the decisions in future cases. As a Court of Appeals judge, I will work to identify existing rules that do harm to our rights and prudently articulate ways that harm can be ameliorated in opinions and dissents. Again, this careful balance of respecting precedent while seeking justice requires the thoughtful approach of someone who has litigated high-stakes cases in our appellate courts. 3. Judicial judgment. What factors guide your decision making when reviewing complex or controversial cases? Not every Court of Appeals case is complex or controversial, but these cases often have the biggest impact on our lives. And as bad actors increase their attacks on our rights, these cases have become more and more frequent. As a consequence, the most important experience a new appellate judge can bring to the bench is experience protecting our rights in tough cases. I have broad legal experience, but the focus of my career has been in complex and controversial cases where our fundamental rights have been at stake, including our rights to fair maps, adequately funded public schools, separations of powers, vote, and have our votes count. Judges must be faithful to the facts and the law in every case. This requires deep legal research and a thorough study of each record. Appellate judges must additionally think carefully about the long-term consequences of their precedent-setting decisions. Particularly in complex or controversial cases, judges should never be influenced by politics or a fear that their decision will be viewed politically. Judges who are more concerned with public perception than our rights sacrifice both. 4. Limits and restraint. Are there areas of law where judges should be especially cautious about overreach? North Carolina appellate judges must proceed carefully when interpreting our state constitution. All political power comes from the people, meaning that our laws are subject to our consent and should be responsive to our needs. When properly constituted, the General Assembly serves as the people's representatives and should be given deference by our courts. Our General Assembly needs significant latitude to respond to issues that our Constitution's drafters could not have imagined, from new diseases to artificial intelligence. Accordingly, we should interpret constitutional limitations in context to allow for legislative flexibility while also preventing abuses. In recent years, racial and extreme partisan gerrymandering have undermined the General Assembly's status as a truly representative body, calling that usual deference into question. Our courts can enhance the General Assembly's legitimacy by enforcing our state's constitution's rights, including rights to free elections and separation of powers. Courts must proceed carefully in striking down a law as unconstitutional, but doing so is sometimes necessary. The best decisions in our state's legal tradition honor, recognize that our constitution protects more rights than the federal constitution. I am inspired by those courageous jurists who have found creative and thoughtful ways to enforce those protections in cases like Quorum v. University of North Carolina, 330 NC 761 in 1992, Leandro versus State NC 386, 2022, and Harper v. Hall, 383, North Carolina 89 in 2022. As an attorney, I have defended legislative enactments and challenged laws that violated our state and federal constitutions. Our current court majorities have mostly failed to serve as an independent check on our General Assembly. To restore constitutional balance, we need judicial candidates who have a proven record of standing up to unconstitutional laws and experience with the complicated constitutional challenges that will matter most over the coming decade. Integrity under pressure. Can you describe a professional situation where you upheld the law or your principles despite outside pressure? Earlier this year, I was part of the legal team that defended Justice Allison Riggs's win and stopped a dangerous attempt to steal an election. When extreme politicians tried to throw out 60,000 lawful votes and overturn the results of an election including military ballots, I worked nights, weekends, and holidays for six months to defend them. These extreme attempts to throw out votes were not uniform. Some challenges only targeted voters in counties that leaned democratic. There was pressure on Justice Riggs and those of us on her team to bring similar challenges against voters in Republican-leaning counties, tit for tat. We refused. Our priority was not just to win, but to defend lawful votes and uphold our democratic election. In that spirit, I did not know or care if the voters I drove across NC to defend were Democrats, Republicans, or unaffiliated. I did not know if they had voted for Justice Riggs or not. All I knew is that they had followed the rules and were entitled to dignity, respect, and to have their votes count. I did not do that work for partisan gain or just because Justice Riggs was the candidate I wanted to see take the bench. I did it because everyone deserves an equal right to participate in our democracy and to be treated fairly by our laws and by our courts. I am proud to stand up for those values every day as an attorney, and I will continue to do so on the Court of Appeals. 6. Judicial philosophy. How does your judicial philosophy distinguish you from other candidates in this race? There is a clear difference in judicial philosophies in this primary campaign. My philosophy arises from my background as an attorney protecting our fundamental rights. My chief concern as a judge will be to uphold our fundamental rights and check abuses in the other branches as the law requires. As stated in numerous speeches and questionnaire responses, my primary opponent's chief concern is a public's lack of trust in the judiciary, and her focus is reducing partisan attacks on the court. Our priorities are sometimes aligned, but sometimes in conflict. Over the coming eight-year term, our courts will be asked to take bold steps to protect our rights, particularly regarding our electoral maps, public schools, and elections. Upholding our rights and faithfully applying the law in these cases will make headlines and may draw accusations of partisanship. Judges principally concerned with public perception may hesitate to protect our rights. Voters can trust that I will reliably protect our rights because I have done so as an attorney and have been clear during this campaign about my values. 7. Accountability. How should voters evaluate your performance or hold you accountable as a judge? He said. Courts have many important jobs, but the most important is protecting our fundamental rights. Our current court majorities have largely failed in this fundamental duty, allowing powerful people and other branches of government to erode our freedoms. Fortunately, North Carolina has judicial elections. We have the opportunity to protect our own rights by voting out judges who have undermined them and electing judges with a proven record of protecting our rights in our appellate courts. As a judge, I will be faithful to the law and reliably uphold our rights. Judges' eight-year terms insulate them from temporary political passions while allowing voters to hold them accountable. After my first eight years on the bench, voters can review my work and decide whether to give me a second term. In addition, I support a more transparent and accessible judicial standards commission that will hold judges accountable for abuses in their office. 8. Learn more. How can voters learn more about you, your judicial philosophy, and your experience? Voters are welcome to learn more by visiting our campaign website, www.whalen4nc.com, that is for spelled out F O R, or keep up with our campaign on Facebook, James Whalen for Court of Appeals, Instagram at James Whalen NC, or X at James Whalen NC. I found his website. At Brooks Pierce Law Firm, it says that James Whalen is an associate. Under the overview, it says James Whalen represents individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in all states of litigation. His practice focuses on complex constitutional and business cases and appeals, as well as guidance for nonprofits and political organizations and candidates. With a principal focus on winning cases in court, he represents clients and litigates cases in courts across North Carolina. In his appellate practice, James has argued cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Over his career, he has litigated criminal appeals for the state and for indigent defendants, and civil cases involving voting rights and election law, environmental law, and business disputes. Before joining Brooks Pierce, James served in the North Carolina Department of Justice under then Attorney General Josh Stein in the office of the North Carolina Solicitor General, where he assisted in high-profile litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and state appellate courts. Before that, James clerked in Winston-Salem for U.S. District Court Judge Loretta C. Biggs. James leverages this experience and his background as a federal law clerk to inform his case strategy and assist his clients in state and federal court. James represents clients in election matters of all types, including major post-election litigation, to defend against hundreds of election protests and ensure that every lawful vote is counted. James helps voters, candidates, and political organizations navigate election rules and has litigates, constitutional issues related to voting rights, and gerrymandering. His credentials, clerkships, law clerk to the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, U.S. Court District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, 2021 through 2022, Education, University of North Carolina Law School, JD in 2021 with high honors, Order of the Coiff, Chancellor's Scholar, Articles Editor of the North Carolina Law Review, University of North Carolina at Asheville with his bachelor's in 2015, graduated cum lade and was a student body president, admissions, it says North Carolina, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. There's a newsroom tab that has a link to an article written in October of 2023 that says Brooks Pierce welcomes new attorneys to the firm. And then the About Me tab says originally from Charlotte, James lives in Raleigh with his wife Anna, son Cab, dog Sherlock, and cats Watson and Glue. The website The Election Hub lists him as a Democrat, not the incumbent. Age of 32, previous experience in elected office as none. Occupation is appellate attorney in private practice. Description Whalen is an appellate attorney in private practice. He was a lawyer in the Riggs-Griffin voter case. He says he is a defender of fundamental rights and the rule of law. He says he's running because everything from fair elections to reproductive rights to quality public schools runs through the appellate court. He worked at the NC Department of Justice under then Attorney General Josh Stein. Other personal information? Whalen is from Charlotte and his mother was a former reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He is married and has a young son. He graduated from UNC Asheville, where he was a student body president, and has his JD from UNC Chapel Hill. Please provide demographic information about yourself to help voters. He said, I am originally from Charlotte and a proud product of Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Schools. I'm a graduate of East Mecklenburg High School, UNC Asheville, and UNC School of Law, where I graduated with honors. I now live in Raleigh with my wife and son, with one on the way, dog Sherlock, and Kat Clue. I am 32. Why are you running for this role and why should voters pick you? Please share your previous experience in elected office that would be relevant to voters. He said, Our rights are under attack and we deserve judges who will defend them. I am part of a small group of North Carolina attorneys fighting to protect our rights in high-profile cases, including in the court I am running to join. Last year I defended Justin Allison Riggs' victory and stopped a dangerous attempt to steal an election. I previously served as an appellate attorney in Josh Stein's Department of Justice, where I fought gerrymandering, fought for our public schools, and held domestic abusers accountable. A lot of that is the same answer that was in the NC Deep Dive Voters Guide, so I'll save you a little bit of time. Tell us one or two professional accomplishments you have achieved in your work experience, not limited to public service, that gave that give voters a sense of your leadership, styles, or skills. He said my law firm was hired in 2023 to protect voters across NC. I recruited and trained nearly 200 attorneys across our state and litigated against six different attempts to disenfranchise voters. On election day, Justice Allison Riggs won re-election. But the losing candidate filed hundreds of protests across all hundred counties. I worked nights, weekends, and holidays for six months to protect our votes, including in the Court of Appeals. To be clear, I did not know or care if the voters I defended were Democrats or Republicans. I only knew they had followed the rules and were entitled to have their votes count. We ultimately succeeded when we persuaded a federal judge who had been appointed by President Donald Trump to count all lawful votes and recognize Justice Riggs's victory. In 2022, I served in the NC Department of Justice, Office of the Solicitor General. We were a small group of five appellate attorneys tasked with litigating the most consequential cases involving NC. That year, the North Carolina Supreme Court held that extreme partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional. Unsatisfied, the NC General Assembly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. They argued that they were not limited by the NC Constitution and were free to gerrymander as they wish. Our office defended our state constitution and won a 6-3 victory in Moore versus Harper. We won on the law, but lost on the politics. In 2023, a newly elected Republican majority. In 2023, a newly elected Republican majority reversed its prior decision and welcomed extreme partisan gerrymandering back to North Carolina. These experiences have convinced me that the only way to secure our rights is to support a new generation of candidates who have experience protecting our rights in court and who can win these tough elections. It goes on to ask about his endorsements. He says he is proud to have endorsements from nearly 100 current and former elected officials from across our state, including all five former Supreme Court justices who have endorsed in this race since he announced his campaign. And then he lists many of the ones that I've already mentioned. How long have you lived in the region or district where you were running for office? The Court of Appeals is a statewide court and its judges are elected statewide. I have lived in North Carolina my whole life. Tell us something unexpected about yourself that voters may be interested to know. He said, Our family loves to dance. My wife grew up dancing. I only took one short swing dancing class in college, but it was enough to win a second date. We wowed our wedding guests with our first dance. Our son inherited his mother's moves and my music taste, and was the only two-year-old at school to dance to the Blues Brothers. The next article I found was the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, and that website is dcab.org slash attorney dash James dash W dash Whalen. It says James Whalen for North Carolina Court of Appeals. This is their candidate response questionnaire. I'll try to see if there are questions that answer what he might not have said in other of the questionnaires. The first question is what legal experience informs your comprehension of the nuance of the trial process, procedure, and culture that may not appear in the record below. Some of it is what he's already stated, but then it goes on to say, as a civil litigator, I have litigated cases in state and federal trial courts, state administrative agencies, and arbitration. As an appellate advocate, I have argued cases in the NC Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, and have worked on U.S. Supreme Court cases. To the best of my knowledge, I am the only candidate running for this seat with appellate experience. In the politically sensitive cases I have litigated, a cold record on appeal can often disguise a case's powerful cultural or racial undertones. Appellate judges are bound to the record on appeal, but must also understand this broader context to accurately and justly craft their opinions. As a litigator, I understand that objections, evidence, testimony, and decisions may affect differently in person than on paper. As I recently explained to my mother, there is a reason we videotape depositions. This litigation experience will inform my review of records on appeal. I have also seen the reverse problem, where important pieces of information that do appear in the record can be ignored by an appellate court. For example, Judge Biggs's thorough decision in the landmark affirmative action case, SFFA versus UNC, issued during my clerkship included detailed factual findings. Those findings were highly persuasive to the dissenting U.S. Supreme Court judges, but were largely ignored in the majority's opinion, which reversed long-standing case law governing the use of race in college admissions. Now more than ever, we must select appellate judges who have the appropriate trial and appellate experience. Candidates for this office must have successfully protected our rights in court and be able to explain the consequences of constitutional violations to voters. Our fundamental rights are under constant threat, and our appellate judges must stand as our last line of defense. The cases that affect our lives most require deep research, persuasive writing, creative problem solving, and long-term thinking. It's about more than calling balls and strikes. It's about carefully and courageously advancing the law towards justice. My work defending our rights in our appellate courts has required me to hone the exact skills that are most required of our judges in this moment. What value do you place on stare decisis? Unlike district court orders, appellate court opinions have precedential effect. Court of Appeals decisions bind future Court of Appeals panels and state trial courts. Supreme Court opinions bind lower courts and influence future Supreme Court decisions through stare decisis. Since an appellate court's reasoning might apply to a wide range of future cases across the state, it is critical that appellate judges think deeply about the consequences of their decisions and have practiced appellate law before joining the bench. As an appellate attorney, I have done the deep research and careful writing that appellate judges are called to do. Stare decisis and predictability in our judicial system more broadly is essential to preserving our rights. Predictable rules allow businesses to prosper and citizens to conform their conduct to the law. It ensures that once a rule is established for one group, in parentheses racial majority, the rule will apply equally to another group, in parentheses racial minority, in another case. Unfortunately, our current court majorities have recently injected uncertainty into our laws. Examples include the Justice Riggs litigation, where the majority abandoned established election rules in an attempt to throw out thousands of votes. Examples also include our Supreme Court's decisions in 2023 to revive extreme partisan gerrymandering and further delay and deny the constitutionally mandated sound basic education to our public school students. They said the job of our appellate courts is to advance the law towards justice, not to just preserve the status quo. As a Court of Appeals judge, I will work to identify existing rules that do harm to our rights and prudently articulate ways that harm can be ameliorated. Again, this careful balance of respecting precedent while advancing the law requires the thoughtful approach of someone who has litigated high-stakes cases in our appellate courts. 3. Do you consider yourself an originalist or do you consider the U.S. Constitution the result of the founding father's value on intrinsic inalienable rights to be imbued and interpreted in the context of modern law? Originalism is fundamentally flawed. Originalism instructs that judges should give the law its original public meaning, i.e., the meaning the public agreed upon at the time the law was enacted. But as my father, a retired history professor, has frequently pointed out, the public almost never agrees to a single meaning of any controversial phrase. I previously served as a legislative assistant in the NC General Assembly. Even the legislators who drafted a law often disagree on its meaning. Moreover, for most of our nation's history, the public has excluded racial minorities, women, youth, and poor white men. It is manifestly unjust for judges to pledge blind allegiance to some fictional consensus on the meaning assigned to a phrase at a time when most North Carolinians were excluded from the public by law. Moreover, lawyers often make lousy historians. As an appellate attorney in our Department of Justice, Department of Justice, I litigated Moore v. Harper, a landmark gerrymandering case in the U.S. Supreme Court. One of the key issues in that case was the historical meaning of the Federal Elections Clause. Opposing counsel argued that a first draft of the clause authored by Charles Pinickney supported their interpretation. Except Charles Pinickney did not actually draft the clause. Qualified historians helped us debunk opposing counsel's account, and we won the case. Because of originalism's shortcomings, the far stronger method for interpreting the Federal Constitution is to interpret it in a way that honors the Founding Fathers' belief that all individuals are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that the government should treat all individuals with dignity. This is particularly true of the North Carolina Constitution, which was rewritten and adopted in 1868 by abolitionists and reconstructionists driven to build a freer, more prosperous, better educated, multiracial, and multicultural North Carolina. I have worked to continue their legacy as an attorney and look forward to doing so as a judge. What demonstrates your powers of persuasion allowing you to persuade associate justices slash judges legal views to your own? This question highlights one key difference between appellate judges and lower court judges. In a district court, the judge's job is to make a decision and move on. Occasionally, the judge will issue a written order, usually drafted by the prevailing party and edited by the judge before being issued. Once an appellate court judge has made a decision, they must take the added step of persuading other judges to agree, not only with their decision, but with their legal reasoning. As discussed above, the reasoning is often more consequential than the decision itself because of its precedential effect. It is therefore critically important that appellate judges not only share our values, but have the same persuasive skills necessary to be effective on the appellate bench. My success as a litigator and as an appellate advocate in particular has depended on my powers of persuasion. I have been the primary drafter on numerous winning appellate briefs in criminal and civil cases, including high-stakes cases impacting our fundamental rights. I have argued cases in the NC Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals. In one NC Court of Appeals case, I persuaded three of my future colleagues to write a unanimous bipartisan decision upholding the conviction of a defendant found guilty of publishing revenge pornography to abuse his ex-girlfriend. Similarly, when a Republican legislative candidate attempted to throw out hundreds of votes in her district, I persuaded Republicans and Democrats on the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections to unanimously honor every lawful vote. And in the litigation involving Justin Allison Riggs, we ultimately convinced a federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump to honor Justice Riggs's victory. The Democrat who wins the seat will serve in the political minority on the Court of Appeals at least for two years. It is critical that the candidate chosen have recent experiences persuading judges to uphold our rights. The North Carolina Constitution was written by abolitionists and reconstructionists who fought to build a freer, better educated, more prosperous, multiracial, and democratic North Carolina. The best decisions in our state's legal tradition honor that legacy by recognizing that our Constitution protects more rights than the federal constitution. I am inspired by those courageous jurists who have found creative and thoughtful ways to enforce the protections in the cases he mentioned in the NC Deep Dive Voters Guide. Additionally, North Carolina has been the center of the fight to protect voting rights. Decisions like Thornton versus Gingles established a workable framework for courts to root out efforts to dilute black Americans' voices through racial gerrymandering. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to build on that landmark decision at NC DOJ, where I was part of the team that successfully defeated the General Assembly's efforts to claim plenary authority to gerrymander in Moore v. Harper, 600 U.S. 1 in 2023. Number six, how will you handle not just a conflict of interest, but an appearance of conflict of interest with a matter presented to the court? Apparent conflicts undermine the public's confidence that their rights will be fairly adjudicated. Our court's recent conduct has highlighted this issue. For example, my firm represents the Office of the Governor. In recent litigation involving the separation of powers, we moved to recuse Justice Philip Berger Jr. from deciding whether his father, Senator Philip Berger Sr., could be appointed to an executive committee. Justice Berger's choice not to recuse from cases involving his family has been a repeat issue. Consistent with a code of judicial conduct, I will recuse myself not only from cases that present an actual conflict of interest, but also from any case in which a fair-minded person may reasonably question my impartiality. To promote transparency, I will provide written orders explaining any decision to recuse or not recuse. In certain circumstances, I may refer motions for recusal to the full court of appeals. Number seven, how will you handle judicial independence with the NC system of electing judges to the court? He says judicial independence is a cornerstone of our legal system. As powerful people gain greater influence over levers of government, it is more important than ever for our judges to be immune from undue influence and able to stand as a meaningful check on other branches of government. In recent years, our General Assembly has pushed the bounds of our state constitution. It has engaged in extreme partisan and racial gerrymandering, withheld billions of dollars in public school funding, and claimed executive powers for itself. A true independent judiciary would serve as a check on these legislative excesses, but our current court majorities have largely allowed the General Assembly to act unchecked. As an attorney, I have defended the separation of powers and the judiciary's power to restrain the other branches. For example, I defended the NC Supreme Court's power to prohibit extreme partisan gerrymandering in Moore v. Harper, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case upholding judicial independence. Done correctly, our system of judicial elections can revive judicial independence. Unlike in an appointment system, our judges are not obligated to receive the blessing of the executive or legislative branches before taking office. They are accountable directly to the people and are better positioned to restrain government overreach. We have the opportunity to elect judges who will stand up for judicial independence and the separation of powers. Partisan judicial elections undermine judicial independence. They put pressure on judicial candidates to conform to their party's priorities. It is imperative that our candidates are clear with voters that our decisions will apply equally to everyone, regardless of party label. I have demonstrated this as an attorney. When I traveled the state defending voters this year, I did not know if they had voted for Justice Allison Riggs or if they were Democrats, Republicans, or unaffiliated. I only knew that they had followed the rules and were entitled to have their votes count. I entered this race because I was frustrated that no other candidate was speaking candidly about their values and the consequences of the election. My campaign has prioritized educating voters on my values, as evidenced by my record, so that they have confidence that I will remain true to the Constitution, the rule of law, and my values as a judge, regardless of shifting political pressures. Number eight, what have you done or will you do to promote inclusion and fairness for all North Carolinians in the General Court of Justice? He says, as an attorney, I have repeatedly seen how access to justice can determine whether justice is done at all. Too many people are abused or taken advantage of, but they have no recourse because they can't afford an attorney or navigate our complex system on their own. As a private attorney, I have tried to remedy this access disparity by building a robust pro bono practice, providing high-quality legal representation to individuals who otherwise would likely receive no representation at all. In one case, I assisted a tenant get a full rent refund from an apartment complex overrun by roaches. In another, I argued in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on behalf of a prisoner who contracted swine flu and received inadequate treatment from the prison doctor. As a member of the NC Barr's appellate section, I have witnessed renewed efforts to expand pro bono representation in our appellate courts, and I will be an eager partner to continue that work as an appellate judge. More broadly, our state judiciary is in desperate need of judges who are committed to fairness, fair elections, fairness at work, fairness in the marketplace, and equal access to justice in our courts. As an attorney, I have fought for fair maps, fair electoral rules, and fairness for litigants of every background. I will continue to uphold our rights to fairness as an appellate judge. Number nine, what reforms will you promote to ensure access to justice for all litigants in our court system? He says there are a number of court reforms and system reforms that I will promote over the course of my career on the bench. In our appellate court, I will encourage my colleagues on the Court of Appeals to grant oral argument in a greater number of cases than is the court's current practice. As a young attorney, I have benefited from opportunities to become a practiced appellate advocate that are becoming harder and harder to get. Oral argument gives the parties the fullest opportunity to be heard by the court, and holding additional oral arguments will increase opportunities for younger and minority advocates to get experience arguing in our state's appellate courts. Appellate decision should also be more accessible to non-lawyers. I entered the race because I was frustrated that no other candidate was speaking candidly with voters about how our appellate courts impact their lives. My campaign is focused on explaining complicated legal concepts to non-lawyer voters in ways that are accessible and strike quickly at the heart of why each concept matters. My early success is due in part to my training as an appellate attorney. I am trained to write simple, easily digestible briefs and make clear, cogent oral arguments. I will continue this work as a judge, writing opinions and dissents that are clear, persuasive to members of the public as well as attorneys and other judges. I will also work to revive universal citations, which allows litigants without access to expensive reporters or legal research tools to properly cite cases in our courts. Working with the NC Bar, I will promote more pro bono representation in our appellate courts and encourage oral arguments in those cases. I will also work with the judicial branch's Office of Legislative Affairs to advocate for greater funding for access to legal resources, particularly in areas impacted by natural disasters. Finally, our state constitution guarantees more rights than the federal constitution, including a right to open courts and a remedy for every wrong. This language may require greater access to the legal resources than is currently offered, particularly in circumstances where a person is being deprived of their liberty or property through a judicial process such as an eviction without representation. Tenants who have counsel are not only less likely to be evicted, but are also more likely to get access to other available resources. Other civil litigants are routinely deprived of important property interests without legal representation. As that issue gets worse, our courts must play a more active role in upholding litigants' rights. As per our introductory preface in the email transmitting this questionnaire, how do your values align with the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People? He writes, My values align with the Committee's courageous and powerful history and continued service to our state. Throughout its history, the committee has fought for increased representation of black voters in Durham and basic electoral fairness, including passage of the Federal Voting Rights Act and securing fair maps where one person equals one vote. My work as an attorney fighting gerrymandering and defending lawful voters from illegal attempts to throw out votes aligns with this purpose. Similarly, the committee has fought to strengthen our courts by supporting candidates who are impartial to every party, but hold but bold defenders of our rights and the rule of law. Now more than ever, we need appellate judges who share these values. And that is all that I really found on a Google search for James Whalen. Moving on to Christine Walczyk. JudgeChristine.org is her website. It says Judge Christine Walczyk for Court of Appeals. There's a link to donate along with links to her Instagram and Facebook and photo gallery. Get to know Judge Christine, a steady hand for justice. I am Judge Christine Walczyk and I'm running for the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2026. I have served as the district court trial judge in Wake County for 18 years. As the most experienced district court judge in Wake County, I have worked hard to safeguard the fundamental rights and liberties of those who appeared in my courtroom. You can click the link to read more. As the most experienced district court judge in Wake County, I have worked hard to safeguard the fundamental rights and liberties of those who appeared in my courtroom with well-reasoned, swift, and nonpartisan decisions. I am running for the Court of Appeals because I am increasingly concerned about the public's loss of confidence in the court system, a cornerstone of our democracy. My campaign will offer voters an experienced, temperate, and principled candidate dedicated to the rule of the law. As a trial judge, I was nominated by four chief district court judges, Democrat and Republican, to serve in leadership positions, including lead judge in family court for many years, and currently as lead judge in the general civil court. Prior to my service as a judge, I practiced law in Raleigh, with Grafstein and Walczyk, PLLC, representing small businesses with their transactional and litigation needs. I also represented indigenous defendants in criminal cases and juveniles in delinquency matters. Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, at the Old Rex Hospital, I moved to Florida as a child and returned to North Carolina in 1992. I graduated Magna Cum laude from the Boston College Carroll School of Management and completed my jurisdoctor at the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill. I am actively involved in the community and the profession as a member of the National Association of Women's Judges, of Women Judges Judicial Independence Committee, the North Carolina Bar Association's Women in the Profession Committee, and as the chair of the Judicial Division of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys. I particularly enjoy mentoring students and teaching. I'm a former instructor at Meredith College's Paralegal Program and Wake Technical Community College. Get involved. Running a statewide campaign is a monumental task. Whether you can contribute your time or your money, we need your help. If you would like to host an event, introduce me to your friends, or just send a note of encouragement, we would love to hear from you. There are buttons where you can volunteer, get updates, and donate. In these challenging and difficult times, we must recommit ourselves to maintaining the independent judiciary that the framers sought to establish. That's a quote by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. My judicial philosophy. As a district court judge, I work hard to provide litigants, fair, and reasoned fair and reasoned decisions in a timely manner. I endeavor to apply the law equally, without favoritism or bias. Your race, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status should not affect the outcome of your case. I am running for the North Carolina Court of Appeals because I believe our nation has forgotten the important role judges play in our society, the important role judges play in our society. Judges are not politicians. Unlike your elected representatives in the legislature, your judges take an oath to stand apart from politics and partisan ideas. We do not pass laws or advocate for causes or individuals, but we do protect the constitutional and statutory rights of those who appear in our courtrooms. We must do this without bending to political attacks, special interest, or public opinion. I am running because I believe in the rule of law, and I believe that an independent judiciary is the most crucial piece of a lasting democracy. Judges have a greater responsibility to serve our neighbors and increase our public's access to the justice system. I have worked with various organizations that provide legal assistance and resources, and I help create sample legal forms and informational packets for litigants in the courthouse without attorneys. I currently serve on the advisory board for Wake County's New Legal Support Center. Throughout my career, I have been involved with groups and organizations that assist women and families, promote diversity in institutions, and support the advancement of women in the legal profession. Endorsements. She is endorsed by the North Carolina Association of Educators, Durham's People's Alliance, PAC, the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte Mecklenburg says endorsements. I'm honored to have the support of respected leaders, legal professionals, and community members who believe in an experienced, fair, and independent judiciary. These endorsements reflect our shared commitment to upholding the rule of law and restoring public trust in our courts. All judges appearing on this list are retired or former judges. So she has tabs for former judges, state legislators, local leaders, and organizations. She is endorsed by Sherry Beasley, Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Robin Hudson, Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Linda McGee, Chief Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals, Bob Hunter, Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Charles Becton, Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals, Chris Book, Chris Brook, Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Who are all judges with the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Carl Fox, Judge, Senior Resident Orange County. Deborah Sasser, Chief Judge of Wake County, Gary Cash, Chief Judge of Buncombe County, Marcia Morey, Chief Judge of Durham County, now Representative Morey. Robert Rader, Chief Judge of Wake County, Jane Gray, Judge of Wake County, Jennifer Knox, Judge of Wake County, Shelly Desfugis of Judge of Wake County, along with various other judges of various counties in North Carolina. Some of the state legislatures that have endorsed Christine are Sidney Batch, the North Carolina Senate Democratic leader, Lisa Grafstein, North Carolina Senate, Terrence Everett, Julie Mayfield, Paul Lowe Jr., all of those of the North Carolina Senate, Abe Jones, the North Carolina House and former judge, Deb Butler, Marcia Morey, Maria Cevania, Pricey Harrison, Tracy Clerk of the North Carolina House of Representatives, and Jennifer Weiss, former North Carolina House. Local leaders who have endorsed Christine are Hampton Dellinger, formal special counsel of the United States, Bob Etheridge, former United States Representative and State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Colin Willoughby, former Wake County District Attorney, Anna Stearns, candidate of Buncombe County Commission, Christine Kushner, candidate of Wake County Commission, Gina Pettisteen, Charlotte Community Leader, Jill Hoppman, New Hanover, County Democratic Party Chair, and Matthew A. Cock, community activist. Organizations again are the North Carolina Association of Educators, CWA Political Action, which is the Communications Workers of America, Durham People's Alliance, Black Political Caucus of Charlotte Mecklenburg, NC Voter Education Coalition, NC State College Democrats, and the Western Carolina University College DEMS. Under the tab Community Involvement, throughout my career, I have been actively involved with community and professional organizations. I serve in leadership roles and strongly believe in education, mentorship, and service. I have worked with the following organizations. Current National Association of Women Judges, Judicial Independence Committee, North Carolina Association of Women's Attorneys, Judicial Division Chair, North Carolina Bar Association, Committee on Women in the Legal Profession, North Carolina Association of District Court Judges, Custody Mediation Advisory Committee, 10th Judicial District Bar, Wake County Bar Association, Former Board of Directors, International Focus, International Visitors Leadership Program, Legal Support Center Advisory Board, Wake Women Attorneys, Raleigh Wake Citizens Association, People's Alliance. Former organizations she has worked with are Chief Justices Rules Advisory Commission, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Wake County Academy of Criminal Trial Lawyers, Legal Aid of North Carolina Volunteer Lawyers Program, Wade Edwards High School Mock Trial Competition Awards, Wake County Bar Association Professionalism Spotlight Award 2025, North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys Gwyneth B. Davis Award in 2018, featured in North Carolina Super Lawyers Magazine 2006-2007, Legal Aid of North Carolina Outstanding Volunteer Attorney in 1997 and 1998. Presentations and speeches. I'm an experienced member of the judiciary with an interest in education. I often speak at local law schools, continuing education programs, and training events for lawyers and judges. The following is a list of some of the presentations I have given. District Court Judges Conference, North Carolina Judicial College, practical aspects of the UCCJEA, disability and language access issues, management strategies for custody cases, special topic seminar, child custody, legal issues in distribution, advanced family law, issues in equitable distribution, family law practice, how-tos, hot topics and handy techniques, the law relating to firearms and domestic violence, special topic seminar, domestic violence. For the Wake County Bar Association, Remote Justice, The Effective Use of WebEx Hearings, Common Mistakes in Family Court, How to Be a Better Parent, Coordinator of You from the Bench, Equitable Distribution Presumptions, Family Law Basics, Family Law Update, Legal Aid of North Carolina, How to Represent a Domestic Violence Victim in a DVPO hearing, the Child's Advocate CLE training for volunteer attorneys, North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys. You're climbing the wrong ladder. Why and how to start your own law practice? Basics of Business Law for Non-Practitioners. What you should know about business law in North Carolina, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Professionalism for New Attorneys Seminar, North Carolina Center for Voter Education, Race and Gender in the Legal Profession. What's our current status? There is a link to a photo gallery. There is a link to contact Christine. And at the bottom of her page, she has links to volunteer, get updates, and donate. Looking into a Google search for her, I did find her ballotpedia. Christine Walczyk, Democratic Party, is a judge for District 10C, seat 2 of the North Carolina 10th Judicial District. She assumed office in 2007. Her current term ends December 31st, 2028. Walczyk Democratic Party is running for election for the seat three judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She's on the ballot for the Democratic primary on March 3rd, 2026. For the 2026 election, which covers January 1st, 2025, through December 31st of 2025, it lists $16,766 of contributions. The top contributors are all individuals. And then for expenditures, she has spent $1,456. Looks like mostly for marketing. Christine did not complete Ballotpedia's 2026 candidate connection survey, but she did complete the North Carolina Deep Dives questionnaire. So number one, experience in preparation. What experience best prepares you for the work of an appellate judge? She said, I was first appointed to the district court by the governor in 2007. Since then, I have been re-elected five times, often without opposition. As a trial judge, I was nominated by four chief district court judges, Democrat and Republican, to serve in leadership positions, including lead judge in family court for many years, and currently as lead judge in the general civil court. Serving as lead judge brought with it additional responsibilities and time commitments, but also allowed me to work with various stakeholders in the judicial system to improve the process. I have a proven track record as an efficient and skilled problem solver and decision maker. I have rendered thousands of decisions as a trial judge, with most of these decisions left undisturbed on appeal. As one of the longest-serving trial judges in the state, I have had the responsibility of issuing difficult decisions directly to the parties before me, explaining my reasoning and answering their questions. I have witnessed the profound emotional impact of my rulings, whether it is the grief of a family facing eviction, the pain of a parent whose custodial time is limited, the relief of a defendant found not guilty, or the necessity of committing an individual to a mental health facility. These are the transformative decisions that profoundly affect the lives of those involved. I am acutely aware of the gravity and human consequences of every judgment, and I carry that understanding with me in every case I hear. I intend to bring this perspective to the Court of Appeals. My experience as a seasoned trial judge will allow me to remember the human realities behind each record, ensuring that the weight and the significance of every case inform my appellate review. District Court judges are required to have a broad working knowledge of many areas of the law, and we serve in courtrooms that handle cases involving criminal law, juvenile delinquency, abuse, neglect, domestic and child support matters, domestic violence, general business disputes, and housing cases. I have a broad range of experience and many years of making difficult decisions in the public eye. I have learned to handle pressure and criticism with maturity and temperance. The work we do is more than just resolving disputes. It is a public service. Many of the litigants who appear in our courtrooms suffer from mental health or substance issues or have experienced severe trauma. In every case, we are witnessing individuals navigate some of the most difficult moments in their lives. We see people at their most vulnerable. We see, but we also see resilience. We see people trying to change and heal and contribute to society. Prior to becoming a judge, I co-owned a law firm in Raleigh with Senator Lisa Grafstein, Grafstein and Walczyk. We opened our firm because we wanted the freedom to fight for the little guy and to be a voice for marginalized groups. Our firm handled cases at the trial and appellate level. My work as a judge, paired with more than a decade of practice representing working people, small businesses, and indigent clients, has given me the practical knowledge, procedural command, and writing discipline that being an appellate judge demands. For more than 30 years, I have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the values and rights protected by our constitutions and laws. I am the best person to protect our courts, safeguard our liberties, and bring balance back to the judiciary. 2. Decision making. How do you approach cases where legal precedent may conflict with evolving interpretations of rights or justice? Trial judges are bound to follow precedent established by higher courts. The North Carolina Court of Appeals is composed of 15 judges who generally sit in panels of three, and differing conclusions among panels can create challenges for trial courts. I am keenly aware of the critical importance of consistency and clarity in appellate decisions. My interpretive approach is grounded in the doctrines of stare decisis and judicial restraint. I believe courts should proceed with caution before departing from established decisions of the same court or higher courts. Consistency and stability in the law are essential to maintaining public confidence in the judiciary and the rule of law. At the same time, I recognize that constitutional and statutory provisions must be interpreted in a manner that remains responsive to evolving societal conditions and values. 3. Judicial judgment. What factors guide your decision-making when reviewing complex or controversial cases? During my 19 years on the bench, I have gained a working knowledge of many areas of law. Nevertheless, the practice of law is dynamic. Statutes are amended, and higher courts may interpret laws in new and evolving ways. In any area that is unfamiliar or subject to recent change, I am committed to thorough preparation. This includes a careful review of all relevant statutes in controlling case law, consultation of authoritative treatises and practice manuals, and participation in continuing legal education programs. As an appellate judge, I will also carefully consider the opinions of other judges on the panel. If there are oral arguments before making my decision about the case, I will thoughtfully listen to the party's arguments and will ask questions of the advocates. In short, I undertake all necessary measures to develop a comprehensive and practical understanding of each area before rendering decisions, ensuring that every ruling is informed, accurate, and fair. I am willing to make difficult or unpopular decisions when required by a correct application of the law. If a legal issue before me has strong partisan divide, my approach to that case will be the same as every other. I will apply the law fairly, consistently, and impartially, without regard to public pressure or personal criticism. My integrity and the public's trust in the judiciary will always remain paramount. 4. Limits and restraint. Are there areas of law where judges should be especially cautious about overreach? She said the judiciary is a cornerstone of our democracy, and the rule of law is the foundation of a safe, fair, and peaceful society. We need a strong and independent judiciary capable of ensuring the other branches remain within constitutional bounds. Judges play an important yet narrowly defined role. Responsibility for lawmaking and policy rests primarily with the legislative branch, which enacts laws and other statutory mechanisms that govern our society. Judges interpret and imply the law when disputes arise, including constitutional challenges, appeals, and questions of statutory interpretation. It is important to elect judges with substantial trial experience who have demonstrated a commitment to safeguarding due process and individual liberties while remaining mindful not to encroach upon the roles of the other two branches of government. We deserve judges who ensure the fair presentation of evidence and apply governing law, guidelines, and policies consistently to avoid disparate outcomes. Five, integrity under pressure. Can you describe a professional situation where you upheld the law or your principles despite outside pressure? She said as a trial judge, we must make decisions alone. The weight of these decisions is immense. I served in the family court rotation from 2008 through 2021. During that time, I issued opinions in thousands of cases, including a substantial number of child custody cases. Custody decisions frequently evoke strong emotional responses from parents, particularly when the court must limit custodial time or restrict legal decision-making authority due to concerns such as abuse, neglect, mental health issues, or substance abuse. Some cases, one or both parents were dissatisfied with the court's rulings, whether because they were denied sole legal custody and required to facilitate visitation with the other parent, or because they did not receive the amount of the parenting time they sought. These outcomes, while difficult for the parties involved, are an inherent aspect of custody adjudication. It is essential for a judge to remain focused on the best interest of the child, even in the face of intense pressure from disappointed, emotional, and confrontational parents. Virtually every judge who has served in family court has experienced threats of violence, harassment on social media, or the filing of retaliatory lawsuits. Despite these challenges, a judge must remain steadfast and impartial. Entering orders that protect children and promote their safety, stability, and well-being. Six, judicial philosophy. How does your judicial philosophy distinguish you from other candidates in this race? She said, I believe that every individual is entitled to a fair hearing before a judge who applies the law impartially, without favoritism or bias. One's race, gender identity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or socioeconomic status should have no bearing on the outcome of a case. I strive to apply the law thoughtfully, faithfully, and with careful attention to its words, purpose, and practical consequences. As stated earlier, I am guided in my interpretive approach by the doctrines of stare decisis and judicial restraint. I believe that courts should exercise caution before departing from prior decisions of the same or a higher court. Consistency and stability are essential to the public's confidence in the legal system. At the same time, I recognize that the Constitution and our laws must be interpreted in the context of evolving societal conditions and values. Judges take an oath to support and uphold the constitutions and laws of the United States and of North Carolina, safeguarding the individual liberties they enumerate, like the right to free speech, the right to a free public education, the right to assemble and collectively bargain, and the right to vote. It serves as a constant reminder of the responsibility entrusted to judges to protect constitutional principles while faithfully applying the law. 7. Accountability. How should voters evaluate your performance or hold you accountable as a judge? Although we no longer have a judicial performance evaluation, members of the public are welcome to observe court appearances and review judicial opinions. They can also review our endorsements, candidate questionnaires, and visit our website at www.judgechristine.org. In North Carolina, judges are ultimately held accountable by standing for election by the people. During a judge's term, he or she can be investigated by the Judicial Standards Commission or sanctioned by the Supreme Court for ethical violations. I believe our disciplinary process should be more transparent, but members of the public can search final disciplinary orders issued by the Supreme Court online at www.nccourts.gov. I am committed to following both the letter and the spirit of judicial ethics rules and to ensuring that my integrity and the public's trust in the judiciary remain paramount. 8. Learn more. How can voters learn more about you, your judicial philosophy, and your experience? Voters can learn more by visiting my campaign website, reviewing my questionnaire responses, and contacting the campaign directly at www.judgechristine.org or emailing info at judgechristine.org. There was a press release by the NCAE that they endorsed Judge Christine Walczyk or North Carolina Court of Appeals. It says veteran Wake County Judge brings nearly two decades of experience and a record of fairness in public service. It goes on to say the North Carolina Association of Educators, NCAE, is proud to announce its endorsement of Judge Christine Walczyk for the North Carolina Court of Appeals. A North Carolina native, Judge Walczyk, has served as a district court trial judge in Wake County for nearly two decades, making her the most experienced district court judge in the county. Prior to her judicial service, she practiced law representing small businesses and individuals who lack the resources to hire legal representation in criminal and juvenile delinquency cases. Beyond the courtroom, Judge Walczyk has worked with numerous organizations focused on education, mentorship, and public service. Receiving the NCAE endorsement means a great deal to me and to my campaign, not simply because of the support, but because it reflects trust in the vision we're fighting for and the progress we can make together, said Judge Walczyk. I am grateful that organizations like NCAE and educators across North Carolina recognize the critical role our appellate courts play in protecting our rights and freedoms. We are proud to endorse Judge Walczyk for the North Carolina Court of Appeals, said Tamika Walker Kelly, the NCAE president. Her career has been built on making sure each and every North Carolinian is treated fairly without favoritism or bias under the law. Her commitment to preserving, upholding, and protecting our constitutional and statutory rights is essential to ensuring a bright future for North Carolina and its people. Looking at the electionhub.org website, it lists Christine Marie Walczyk, Party's Democrat. She is not an incumbent. Her age is 54. Her previous experience in elected office is NC District Court, 10C, seat 2. Occupation is District Court Judge in Wake County. It says Walczyk has been a district court judge in Wake County for 18 years, including being named lead judge and practiced law prior to that. She describes herself as the most experienced district court judge in Wake County. She says she is running because of the public's loss of confidence in the court system and she wants to restore that trust. She is endorsed by a number of judges and state legislators, including Sherry Beasley, the former Chief Justice of the NCE Supreme Court, and candidate for U.S. Senate. She is also endorsed by the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte Mecklenburg, other personal. Walczyk says that throughout her career she has been involved with groups and organizations that assist women and families, promote diversity in the institutions, and support the advancement of women in the legal profession. She graduated from Boston College and has a JD from UNC Chapel Hill. The Election Hub Questionnaire. Please provide demographic information about yourself to help voters. She said, I am 54 years old and live in Raleigh. I currently serve as a district court judge for the 10th Judicial District in Wake County. I was born in Raleigh but spent much of my childhood in South Florida, returning to North Carolina in 1992 to attend law school. As a child, I was an athlete participating in cross-country running, soccer, and softball. I was an avid soccer player and continued playing until the pandemic. Today I enjoy watching women's soccer at all levels. I graduated Magna Cum laude from the Boston College Carroll School of Management with a degree in management and a concentration in finance, and I earned my jurisdoctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill in 1995. My specialized judicial training covers a broad range of topics, including advanced learning and child development and child custody, equitable distribution, criminal sentencing, and implicit bias. Why are you running for this role and why should voters pick you? Please share your previous experience in elected office that would be relevant to voters. She says, I am the most experienced district court judge in Wake County and among the longest serving trial judges in our state. I was first appointed to the bench in 2007 by the governor, and I stood for election five times between 2008 and 2024. As a judge, I was nominated for leadership positions by four different chief judges, both Democrat and Republican. I was lead judge and a domestic court judge for many years. I currently serve as a lead judge and general civil court judge. Serving as a lead judge in the 10th Judicial District brings with it additional responsibilities and time commitments, but also allows me to work with various stakeholders in the judicial system to improve the process. Before I came to the bench, I owned my own law firm with Senator Grafstein. We started the firm because we wanted the freedom to represent regular people and to be a voice for marginalized populations. We typically represented employees, small family-run businesses, and indigent adults and juveniles charged with crimes. For over a decade, Senator Grafstein and I defended the rule of law and the constitutional liberties of our neighbors. We fought for equal access to justice and equal protection under the law. I believe in public service and I've spent my career promoting, mentoring, and supporting women, especially in the legal profession. I have served on various committees that nominate women for awards and recognition, organized judicial panels to encourage women to consider the judiciary, and partner with local nonprofits to build wheelchair ramps, coordinate career counseling and driver's license clinics, and host food and clothing drives. I was involved in the formation of the Legal Support Center of Wake County in 2023, and I still serve on its advisory board. This is an organization inside our courthouse that matches people with pro bono attorneys and legal resources and assists those who are trying to access records or file documents. I am running for the Court of Appeals because we need skilled and experienced judges who have the moral courage to safeguard the individual liberties guaranteed by our Constitution, including the right to free speech, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to a free and public education, and the right to vote. In these difficult times, judges must be prepared to meet the challenges ahead. They will need a strong work ethic, the ability to navigate a broad range of laws, and the ability to write well-reasoned opinions with clarity and purpose. I am increasingly concerned about attacks on the judiciary and the public's loss of trust in the system. The judiciary is meant to be a co-equal branch of government that serves as a check on the other two political branches, and it cannot perform this function properly if it is weakened by the public's loss of confidence. I want to fight for a stronger, independent judiciary that works for all people. We all deserve a more diverse court that reflects our state. There are eight candidates running for the Court of Appeals in 2026, and I am the only woman. If I win, I would be the only Democratic woman left on the 15-person court. I believe women and Democrats deserve a seat at the table. Tell us one to two professional accomplishments that you have achieved in your work experience, not limited to public service, that give voters a sense of your leadership style or skills. While serving as the chair of the History Subcommittee on the North Carolina Bar Association's Committee on Women in the Profession, WIP, I led the effort to publish The Changing Face of Justice, a look at the first hundred women attorneys in North Carolina. The book highlighted prominent attorneys in our state, including Tabitha Holton, the first woman admitted to practice law, Ruth Whitehood Whaley, the first black woman licensed in 1932, and Chief Justice Susie Sharp, the first woman in U.S. history elected as Chief Justice of a state Supreme Court. During my tenure as chair of the WIP committee, we organized and hosted an event at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville titled The Changing Face of Justice: A View from the Bench. This continuing legal education program celebrated the book's release. Several Chief Justices from around the nation attended, but the highlight of the program was an interview and conversation with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, moderated by Professor Suzanne Reynolds. Everyone in the room hung on to Justice Ginsburg's every word, leaning forward to hear her soft-spoken wisdom. The event sold out and continues to be remembered as a significant professional and educational milestone for women attorneys in North Carolina. It remains one of the most meaningful highlights of my career. Throughout my professional career, I have worked to expand and improve equal access to justice. During the pandemic, while I was serving as lead judge, we were struggling to figure out how to keep courtrooms open and cases moving. I worked with the administrative office of the courts to design and implement remote courtrooms and protocols for virtual hearings. These WebEx courtrooms allowed us to hear cases safely without threatening the health of the community. The virtual courtrooms remain in use in Wake County today and continue to provide litigants with greater flexibility. Lawyers and self-represented persons can attend calendar calls and certain hearings remotely, reducing unnecessary barriers to participation. These efforts are just a small part of my ongoing commitment to ensure that access to justice is meaningful and available to all. What endorsements from any notable North Carolina organizations or people have you received? She goes on to list many of the ones that I read from her website. How long have you lived in the region or district where you are running for office? I was born in Raleigh and lived here in the 1970s, but spent much of my childhood in South Florida. I returned to North Carolina in 1992 to attend the North Carolina School of Law. I have lived here continuously for more than 30 years. Tell us something unexpected about yourself that voters may be interested to know. She said, Though I am not a politician and consider myself somewhat introverted, I do have a spontaneous and adventurous side to my personality. On one of my birthdays, I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. I have driven across state lines to catch a great concert, played guitar with a friend at an open mic night, snorkeled with sharks in the Florida Keys, and once a long time ago, drove with friends from Florida's east coast to its west just to watch the sunrise and sunset on the same day. She also filled out a questionnaire from the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People. That website is dcab.org backslash judge-one Chris. I'll go ahead and read through what might not have been answered in any of the other surveys. But the first question: what legal experience informs your comprehension of the nuance of the trial process, procedure, and culture that may not appear in the record below? Most of that response she did state in our questionnaire. She also added, During my career, I have been actively involved in the legal profession and my community as a teacher and mentor. I am a former instructor at Wake Technical Community College and Meredith College's Paralegal Program. I have coached and judged student mock trials, and I regularly volunteer for civic education initiatives and speaking engagements at local law schools and in the community. I have spent many hours training law students, new lawyers, and other judges in various aspects of the law. What value do you place on stare decisis? I am guided by the principle of stare decisis and judicial restraint. Courts should exercise caution in departing from prior decisions of the same or the higher court, as consistency and stability are essential to the public's confidence in the legal system. At the same time, I recognize the Constitution and our laws must be interpreted in the context of evolving societal conditions and values. Some prior decisions will necessarily be reconsidered in order to ensure fidelity to the Constitution and the rights it secures. This is illustrated in cases like Brown v. Board of Education, which overruled Plessy v. Ferguson to end the legal basis for school segregation, and Loving v. Virginia, which overruled Pace v. Alabama to end bans on interracial marriage. Number three, do you consider yourself an originalist, or do you consider the U.S. Constitution the result of the Founding Fathers' value on intrinsic inalienable rights to be imbued and interpreted in the context of modern law? She said, I do not subscribe to any single interpretive approach, such as textualism or originalism. Rather, I strive to apply the law thoughtfully, faithfully, and with careful attention to its words, purpose, and practical consequences. As stated above, I am guided by the doctrines of stare decisis and judicial restraint. Number four, what demonstrates your powers of persuasion, allowing you to persuade associate justices, judges, legal views of your own? She says, I take pride in my ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with others. I have been nominated for leadership positions in Wake County by four different chief judges, both Democrat and Republican. I have engaged in professional activities and have good working relationships with several of the judges currently sitting on the court. I am confident that my colleagues on the bench will be able to set aside political or philosophical differences to reach fair and well-reasoned decisions in the vast majority of cases. In those instances where consensus is not possible, and I happen to be in the minority, I am committed to drafting thorough and well-reasoned dissents that preserve the issues for future consideration and uphold the integrity of the judicial process. I have issued thousands of opinions in my time on the bench. Although my decisions do not require consensus or persuasion at the trial level, parties that are unhappy with my decisions have an automatic right to appeal. Despite having worked as a trial judge for more than 18 years, I am only aware of a handful of appeals, and only a fraction of those were reversed by the appellate courts. The fact that so few litigants have appealed my decisions over the years speaks to my ability to ensure that all parties feel heard, respected, and treated fairly in my courtroom. I have proven my ability to correctly apply applicable law and to craft written decisions that clearly and concisely explain the reasoning behind the application to higher courts. Number five, what case or cases in North Carolina do you believe have been the most important for the well-being and justice for citizens? She said there are so many cases that have been important for North Carolina citizens. Since there is no time restraint on this question, and it's not clear whether I'm being asked about federal cases which impact North Carolinians, or cases decided by our own state courts, I would say two of the most influential federal cases relating to the well-being and justice for North Carolina citizens are Gideon versus Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 in 1963, which guarantees the right to counsel in criminal cases, and Reed v. Reed, 404 U.S. 71 in 1971, which is which was one of the first cases to strike down an arbitrary legal distinction based on sex. I believe Justice Ginsburg worked for the ACLU on this case, and it laid the foundation for other cases that significantly curtailed gender discrimination in our laws. The line of cases dealing with racial discrimination are equally as important, including Brown v. Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka 347 U.S. 483 in 1954 and Loving v. Virginia 388 U.S. 1 in 1967 and the subsequent cases that followed prohibiting racial discrimination. If this question isn't intended solely to address significant cases decided by the North Carolina Supreme Court or the North Carolina Court of Appeals in recent years, I respectfully decline to discuss specific cases that could come before me or that might create circumstances requiring recusal. Number six, how will you handle not just a conflict of interest but an appearance of conflict of interest with a matter presented to the court? She said one of the most significant challenges facing our legal system is the erosion of public trust and confidence in the judiciary. According to a 2024 Gallup poll, public confidence in the federal judiciary stood at 35%. A strong and independent judiciary that the public can trust is essential to maintaining its role as a co-equal branch of government, capable of ensuring that the legislative and the executive branches remain within constitutional bounds. Confidence and trust in the judiciary can be strengthened by selecting judges who are honest, transparent, and faithful to their oath of office and the ethical standards that govern our profession. I am committed to following both the letter and the spirit of the campaign finance laws and the judicial ethics rules and opinions in deciding when to disclose conflicts or recuse myself from a case in which there is a conflict. My integrity and the public's trust in the judiciary will always remain paramount. Number seven, how will you handle judicial independence with the North Carolina system of electing judges to the court? She said partisan elections and the solicitation of monetary contributions from the public reflect poorly on the judiciary. North Carolina is one of only a few states clinging to partisan elections, and I do not believe it is a good system for the courts or the public. Nevertheless, under the current system, judges in our state must campaign and raise funds to secure office. I am dedicated to running a campaign that promotes trust and confidence in the system. As a judge, I will continue to safeguard the individual liberties and rights guaranteed by our constitutions without bending to the pressure of public opinion, special interest, or personal attacks. I am honored to serve on the National Association of Women Judges Judicial Independence Committee. This work reflects my belief in a strong and independent judiciary and my efforts to increase public trust and confidence in the legal system through civic education. Our Judicial Independence Committee developed a website, and I took primary responsibility for redesigning and refreshing the educational content found on the site. It is IVP at nawj.org. I remain dedicated to advancing judicial integrity by advocating for more accountability, stricter ethics rules, the removal of partisan labels from judicial elections, and the restoration of public financing for judicial campaigns. Number eight, what have you done or will you do to promote inclusion and fairness for all North Carolinians in the General Court of Justice? She says, I believe that every individual is entitled to a fair hearing before a judge who applies the law impartially without favoritism or bias. She says once again that one's race, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or socioeconomic status should have no bearing on the outcome of a case. It is critical for all judges and courthouse staff to remain intentional and disciplined in identifying implicit biases and disparities in the legal system, acknowledging their existence and taking proactive steps to mitigate their impact. Education, transparency and information, and a willingness to recognize and address shortcomings within the legal system are essential to minimizing the effects of bias and ensuring fair, impartial, and consistent administration of justice. Judges are obligated to engage in ongoing education to remain informed and effective. I have completed trainings in diversity and inclusion and implicit bias, and I make a continuing effort to remain informed about relevant data and systemic disparities. The most recent program I attended was Duke University's 2024 seminar titled Justice Unbound, The Judge's Duty to Address Bias and Inequality. I have also developed and presented educational programs on topics including professionalism for new attorneys, disability and language access, and race and gender in the legal profession. I believe in a diverse court and I support efforts to increase the number of qualified women and people of color in the courtroom and on the bench at all levels. Number eight, what reforms will you promote to ensure access to justice for all litigants in our court system? The single greatest barrier to justice for many individuals is the socioeconomic disparity they face. Navigating the court system is significantly easier for those who can afford to hire qualified legal counsel. Yet most Carolinians cannot afford an attorney, and in most civil matters, individuals are not entitled to court-appointed counsel. Without assistance, filing motions, accessing court records, and navigating the rules of civil procedure can be overwhelming. Throughout my career, I have worked to expand and improve equal access to justice. As lead judge in family court and general civil court, I've taken concrete steps to level the playing field for self-represented litigants by developing courthouse signage, sample forms, and informational packets. In 2023, we started the Legal Support Center and I continue to serve on their advisory board. This is an organization that matches people with pro bono, attorneys, and legal resources, and assists persons who are trying to file claims or access court records. I have devoted my time and expertise to organizations that support self represented. Litigants, including the Legal Support Center, the Child's Advocate, Legal Aid of North Carolina, and others. During the pandemic, I helped design and implement remote courtrooms and protocols for virtual hearings. These WebEx courtrooms remain in use in Wake County today and continue to provide litigants with greater flexibility. Together, these efforts reflect my ongoing commitment to ensuring that access to justice is meaningful and available to all. At the Court of Appeals, litigants must often retain private attorneys and transcriptionists, which can be prohibitively expensive, placing appeals beyond the reach of many individuals. Civil liberties are governed by highly specific and unforgiving procedural rules. Many appeals are summarily dismissed for procedural deficiencies, often without any consideration of the merits of the case. I am committed to continuing my efforts to ensure that access to justice is not determined solely by financial resources or legal expertise. This can be achieved through multiple strategies, including expanding the number of appellate attorneys willing to provide pro bono or unbundled services, mitigating the impact of legal deserts by connecting attorneys to rural communities through online platforms, educating the public on appellate rules and procedures, and providing clear legal information to litigants at the trial level regarding the appeals process. Number 10. As per our introductory preface in the email transmitting this questionnaire, how do your values align with the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People? She said, I believe all people have a right to a fair hearing before a judge who endeavors to apply the law equally without favoritism or bias. Your race, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and socioeconomic status should not affect the outcome of your case. I believe in the rule of law, due process, equal access to justice, and equal protection under the law. I believe that judges should act at all times with integrity, honesty, transparency, and basic human kindness. My service to both the community and the profession shows that I am committed to advancing policies and protocols within the legal system and in my community that benefit all people, including black communities. For more than 30 years, I have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the values and rights protected by our constitutions and laws. I believe in diversity on the court and in the profession. Meaningful representation on the court enhances the public's trust and confidence in the justice system as a whole. In furtherance of that goal, I have spent decades with various organizations promoting and supporting women by mentoring students and encouraging them to consider the judiciary, by nominating women for awards and recognition, and by working to support women in the community, including women of color, through projects and partnerships with organizations like the Helen Wright Center and Dress for Success. In 2004, I led the effort to publish The Changing Face of Justice, a look at the first hundred women attorneys in North Carolina. This book was distributed to libraries all over the state and features prominent North Carolina attorneys like Ruth Whitehead Whaley, the first black woman licensed to practice law in 1932, and Judge Elretta Alexander, the first black female district court judge in the nation. The last thing that I found online is by WSOCTV News. The headline is the political beat primary candidate guide, the NC Court of Appeals for seat three. It was written on February 12th, 2026. In the race for seat three on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, James Whalen is taking on Christine Walczyk. The winner will face Republican Craig Collins. Under James Whalen, it says occupation as attorney. Why are you running? He said, Our rights are under attack and we deserve judges who will uphold them. North Carolina's current appellate court majorities have largely failed in this duty. They have allowed extreme partisan gerrymandering, blocking nearly $1 billion from our public schools, and nearly discarded thousands of lawful votes. The only way to reliably protect our rights is to elect a new generation of judges who are clear-eyed about the threats we face and have the right experience to protect our rights on day one. I have focused my legal career on defending our rights in high-stakes cases. I have fought gerrymandering, fought for our public schools, and defended our votes. I have faced these threats as an attorney, and I am ready to defend our rights as your next Court of Appeals judge. What is your legal or judicial experience? Mostly what he said in the other questionnaires. Again, he restates that I am the only candidate running for this seat on the Court of Appeals with any Court of Appeals experience and experience fighting back against attacks on our constitutional rights. What is your judicial philosophy? He says, I believe that all political power is vested in and derived from people, which means that the law must be accessible to us and responsive to our needs. The judiciary is a co-equal branch entrusted with specific duties, including to protect our rights and check abuses by other branches. Exercising that power properly requires careful but courageous judges who are faithful to the law and the facts in every case. My judicial philosophy is informed by many sources, the founding generation's skeptical view of concentrated power, the progressive movement's devoted work to understand the real impact of the law on people's lives, and the work of abolitionist and civil rights era leaders to center the dignity of every person and use litigation to protect our rights. What separates you from your opponent? He says, My opponent and I have different backgrounds and very different views about the threats we face and what is required to meet this moment. I have experience defending our rights in our Court of Appeals. I know the threats we face because I have seen them up close, and I believe Democratic judicial candidates have an obligation to talk about them. My primary opponent has a very different view. She believes that our current Republican judges will set aside political and philosophical differences to reach fair and well-reasoned decisions in the vast majority of cases. She thinks it is inappropriate for judicial candidates to talk about issues or criticize our current majorities. That is the same failed approach that has lost Democrats every Court of Appeals election since 2018. If we are not able to learn from past mistakes this time, we may not get another chance. My opponent has valuable trial judge experience, but the Democrats who have won statewide elections have not been trial judges. Justice Anita Earls and Justice Allison Riggs did not have judicial experience before joining our appellate courts. Their experience was as attorneys defending our rights in court. This allowed them to speak authentically about what it takes to protect our rights and win-swing voters. I believe I have the experience to meet this moment, and I am not alone. Five former Supreme Court justices have endorsed in this race since I announced my campaign. All five have endorsed me, including our state's first Black Chief Justice Henry Fry, Chief Justice Burley Mitchell, Justice and former Congressman G.K. Butterfield, Justice Bob Ord, and Justice Patricia Timmins Goodson, the first black woman to serve on our Supreme Court who started her own judicial career when she was appointed by Governor Jim Hunt at the age of 29. Dozens of current and former elected officials and leading civil rights organizations have been fighting for equal justice under law since Jim Crow and have reviewed the quantity and the quality of my experience and that of my opponent and agree that I am the right candidate for the future of our courts. I hope I will have your support too. Under Christine Walczyk, what is your occupation? District Court Judge, 10th Judicial District, why are you running? Last year, my friend Judge Allegra Collins told me she would not run for re-election. That news prompted a great deal of soul searching. I thought about my father, whom I lost to brain tumor at the age of 54. I had just turned 54 myself, and it made me realize that if I want to fight for our courts and our democracy, the time to get in the arena is now. I am running for the Court of Appeals because we need skilled and experienced judges with the moral courage to safeguard the individual liberties guaranteed by our Constitution, such as the right to free speech, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, access to public education, and the right to vote. In these difficult times, judges must bring a strong work ethic, the ability to navigate a broad range of laws, and the discipline to write well-reasoned opinions with clarity and purpose. I am increasingly concerned about attacks on the judiciary and the public's growing loss of trust in our court system. The judiciary is a coequal branch of government designed to serve as a check on the other two political branches. It cannot fulfill that role if it is weakened by diminished public confidence. I want to fight for a strong, independent judiciary capable of keeping the other branches within constitutional bounds. We also deserve a court that more fully reflects the people of our state. There are eight candidates running for the Court of Appeals in 2026, and I am the only woman. If elected, I would be the only Democratic woman serving on the 15-member court. Diverse perspectives matter, and I hope to give Democratic women a seat at the table. It asks what your legal judicial experience is. She says she has worked in the legal profession for more than 30 years. She goes over a lot of what we've covered previously. She said she's issued thousands of opinions and has seen firsthand how laws affect our communities. I bring a broad range of legal experience and the ability to make difficult decisions in the public eye. I am battle tested and have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the values and rights protected by our Constitution. My service to both the community and my profession demonstrates that I am prepared and proven to lead this fight. What is your judicial philosophy? A lot of this she has mentioned before. What separates you from your opponent? First, my breadth of experience sets me apart. I am the only candidate in the primary race with judicial experience, and the only candidate who has practiced law for more than five years. In these difficult and challenging times, we need skilled judges with the knowledge, leadership, maturity, and moral courage to protect our individual liberties and apply the law uniformly. I have been elected five times by the people of Wake County and have demonstrated a sustained commitment to public service through teaching, mentoring, and community involvement. She goes on to state more of what she included in the other questionnaires, including her endorsements. She says, I am also endorsed by more than 25 former judges from all levels of the court system. These are leaders who understand what it takes to do this job well, including Chief Justice Sherry Beasley, Justice Robin Hudson, and other justices that we talked about. The full list is on her website, she says. And that concludes this episode where we delved into the Democratic primary ballot for the NC Court of Appeals judge, seat three. There are two candidates again running for this race: James Weldon Whalen and Christine Marie Walczyk, and you will be eligible to vote for one of them. And that brings this episode of the NC Deep Dive to a close. Make sure you check out all the other relevant episodes for the 2026 primary election at www.ncdeepdive.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you currently listen to your podcast. I will be including helpful links for each candidate and voting in general on our website show notes, including our NC Deep Dives Voters Guide for the 2026 primary election. We were blessed to have many candidates that took the time to share their thoughts and speak to voters within Southern Wake County. The Voters' Guide is arranged by party affiliation and organized in such a way to make it relatively easy to find the races or the candidates you might be interested in. All candidates' websites are linked if I was able to find one. I also consciously chose to arrange the voters' guide starting at the end of the ballot. So often we are aware of the larger races, yet don't hear about or take the time to learn about the smaller ones. As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or topics you'd like to share, you may contact us via social media or by emailing ncdeepdive at gmail.com. If you found value in this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, review, and share it to help us in our mission to help voters make their most informed choices. Thank you for engaging with this episode and becoming a more informed citizen. Democracy is a team sport. Together we make democracy work and our communities a better place to work, play, and live. Your vote matters, your voice matters, you matter. Until next time, my friends, Namaste. The love and light in me sees and honors the love and light in you.