The two announced candidates for an opening on the Georgia Supreme Court next year had taken different approaches to running for the job thus far.

Athens lawyer and former Rep. John Barrow, D-Georgia, and Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Sara Doyle are already campaigning for election in May 2020 to the seat that will be opened by Justice Robert Benham's planned retirement in December.

Barrow has twice released long lists of backers, many of whom, but not all, are stalwart Democrats, while Doyle said doing the same for her would be inappropriate in her current job.

Barrow said he would release lists by regions. The first, for metro Atlanta, included former Gov. Roy Barnes, the last Democrat to hold that office, former Rep. Buddy Darden, D-Georgia, of Pope McGlamry and former Atlanta Mayor and Rep. Andrew Young, D-Georgia. That list contained 170 names. The second list contained 200 names from around Georgia.

"I'm grateful for the support of these leaders all across the state," Barrow said in a news release with the list. "What they tell me is that they want the kind of balance that I bring to the Court. We need someone who understands the issues that matter to real people in the real world."

Doyle has refrained from publicly naming supporters because of her current job. She said she wouldn't want to name as supporters lawyers arguing before her on the Court of Appeals.

"I think it's awkward for me as a sitting judge," Doyle said. "It puts lawyers in an awkward position."

Doyle said she has used names of supporters on social media posts when they've hosted fundraising events. And of course the campaign finance reports provide the names of supporters for both candidates.

In the first reporting period that ended June 30, Barrow reported $304,100 raised, and Doyle reported $223,470.

Their reports show Barrow had more big donors and Doyle had more total contributors thus far. Barrow had 17 backers who gave the limit—$7,000. Doyle had five of those. Barrow had five who gave $5,000. Doyle had two. Doyle had 34 contributors who gave the smallest amount required to be reported—$101. Barrow had none of those. His total number of monetary contributions was 150. Hers was 318.

Barrow's supporters include some big names in Georgia politics that he included on his endorsement lists. Doyle's supporters include some well-known trial and appellate lawyers in the state: Marietta plaintiffs attorney Lance Cooper—who gave $7,000, as did his wife and his law firm—plus Malone Law Office, the firm of Tommy and Adam Malone.

Both candidates said they are seeking broad support. Barrow noted his reputation in Congress for bipartisan alliances. Doyle noted the nonpartisan requirements of the election and the work of Georgia judges.

Both candidates point to their experience. Barrow said he has made his living practicing law in Athens for 23 years in addition to serving in Congress and before that the Athens-Clarke County Commission. Doyle has been an intermediate appellate court judge for 10 years. She practiced law for 14 years before that, half the time in a small firm and the rest in a big one.

Diversity may also be a subject of discussion in the campaign. Barrow said he would bring geographic diversity to the high court, which he said has no members who come from east of Interstate 75 and north of Interstate 16—the northeast quadrant of the state. If Doyle were elected, the nine-member court would have two women. The other is Justice Sarah Warren. Neither of them would change the racial makeup of the court, which without Benham will be all white except for Chief Justice Harold Melton.