Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judi French seeks reelection as conservative judge

Ohio State Supreme Court Justice Judi French, who is running for reelection this year on the Republican ballot, spoke with two fellow Ohio Supreme Court justices and Lt. Gov. John Husted at the Lincoln Day Dinner at Camden Falls & Reception Center in Tiffin March 10. She said her attendance at the dinner, sponsored by the Seneca County and Sandusky County Republican parties, was part of her journey reaching all 88 counties for the fifth time, in hoping to raise awareness for her campaign as a conservative Ohio judge. "I traveled about 1,000 miles a week, and I've been to Seneca and Sandusky counties multiple times," French said. "Not just for political events, but to go out and speak to voters through clubs and groups like Kiwanis or Rotary," she said. "I serve all 88 counties, so getting everywhere is important to me from a service perspective." Of course, as the Coronavirus pandemic has reached Ohio and calls for social distancing and working from home have come down from state government officials, French has complied and has not been on the road in recent days. "In this extraordinary moment, like the rest of Ohio, I am staying home as much as possible," she said. "It's a big change from traveling the state at a fast pace. But it's also an opportunity to catch my breath and keep the campaign in perspective," she said. "My heart is with the individuals and families around Ohio who are struggling, physically and financially." French said she can "appreciate the frustration and concerns on all sides" regarding the postponement of election day in Ohio, but she is unable to comment further, considering she is herself a candidate. Speaking about her judicial philosophy, French said she means to embody what it truly means to be a conservative judge. "What I mean to do on the bench is conserve my power, to not go outside of my constitutional role as an Ohio Supreme Court judge," she said. "We interpret the law strictly — that's my philosophy," she said. Another of her campaign goals is to raise awareness and visibility for the judges on the Ohio Supreme Court. "In 2018, there appeared to be a problem with Republican voters knowing who judicial candidates were — we want them to know I'm the conservative in the race, and we want them to remember my name," she said. "So we are being substantive so [voters] know what I think is important and how deeply I care about this position and the work we do." Asked why she wants to run for another term on the Ohio Supreme Court, French said "there's no better job for a lawyer in the state of Ohio than on the Supreme Court." "You really get the cross-section of legal issues in Ohio," she said. "Every file I open on each day, whether virtually or hard-file, it's different. And to be in a group of seven people working hard to get the right answer is a great privilege." "As for campaigning, it can be very intellectually and physically challenging, but it's worth it," she said. "The position also gives me opportunities off the bench," she said. "The first time I ran I only talked about my work on the bench, but since then I see what I can bring and the impact I can have," she said. In terms of impact, French said she always has made access to justice a priority, including working towards policy changes and rule and statutory changes so all Ohioans have access to the state judicial system. "As a justice I have a louder voice than I might otherwise, and I try to do a lot of civic education through public speaking — it is just as important to me as the work I can do on the bench," she said. With Ohio's in-person primary election day pushed to June 2, French will have even more time to pursue her campaign goals before people head to the ballot box.