Who is running for Texas Supreme Court, Place 2 (unexpired term) in 2026?

Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, Place 2

James P. Sullivan has been a justice of the Supreme Court of Texas since January 2025, appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to the vacancy created when Jimmy Blacklock became Chief Justice². He previously served as the governor's general counsel and as an assistant solicitor general under then-Attorney General Abbott¹. He is the Republican nominee for the unexpired term in Place 2 and faces Democrat Chari Kelly³⁴.

• Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, since January 2025²⁴
• General Counsel to Gov. Greg Abbott since 2021; earlier Deputy General Counsel to the governor and Assistant Solicitor General of Texas²
• Appellate litigator in private practice; adjunct professor at George Mason University¹
• Law clerk to Judge Thomas B. Griffith, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit; BA, Rice University; JD, Harvard Law School, where he was an articles editor on the Harvard Law Review¹
• Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott; the Court announced the appointment on January 6, 2025². The 2026 ballot lists the seat as Place 2, unexpired term³.
• Bar poll: State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll, final vote summary dated February 10, 2026. This was a non-binding straw poll of State Bar members on contested races, taken before the March 3 primary; the Bar describes it as a preference poll only, not an endorsement. Results: Chari Kelly 2,112 votes, James P. Sullivan 1,508⁵⁶.

Justice, Third Court of Appeals (Austin)

Chari L. Kelly has served on the Third Court of Appeals in Austin since January 1, 2019¹. She is a former felony prosecutor, assistant attorney general, and U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps captain¹. She is the Democratic nominee for Supreme Court Place 2 (unexpired term) against Republican incumbent James P. Sullivan²³.

• Justice, Third Court of Appeals, since January 1, 2019¹
• Felony prosecutor in Travis and Comal counties; Assistant Attorney General, Civil Medicaid Fraud Division, Texas Attorney General's Office¹
• Former staff attorney, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals⁴
• Former paratrooper and captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, serving as a defense attorney at Fort Hood and Joint Base San Antonio¹⁴
• Board certified in judicial administration and criminal law; JD, University of Texas School of Law; longtime adjunct professor in Texas Law's advocacy program¹
• Elected to the Third Court of Appeals and took office January 1, 2019¹.
• Bar poll: State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll, final vote summary dated February 10, 2026. This was a non-binding straw poll of State Bar members on contested races, taken before the March 3 primary; the Bar describes it as a preference poll only, not an endorsement. Results: Chari Kelly 2,112 votes, James P. Sullivan 1,508⁵⁶.