North Carolina Supreme Court Candidate Concedes Race After 6 Months

‘This effort has always been about upholding the rule of law and making sure that every legal vote in an election is counted,’ Jefferson Griffin says.

Judge Jefferson Griffin, then-candidate for the N.C. Supreme Court, listens to testimony in Wake County Superior Court, in Raleigh, N.C., on Feb. 7, 2025. Robert Willett/The News & Observer via AP, File

A candidate seeking the vacant North Carolina Supreme Court seat conceded following a protracted, months-long court battle over thousands of votes in the state that were cast in the 2024 election.

A federal judge issued a ruling on Monday that ordered the North Carolina Board of Elections to certify Democratic candidate Allison Riggs as the winner of the 2024 election. On Wednesday, her opponent, Jefferson Griffin, said in a statement that he is dropping his legal case and will concede the election.