Sam Ervin to make second run at Supreme Court

Ervin, who has served on the appeals court since 2008, lost in his bid last fall to unseat Associate Justice Paul Newby in his first Supreme Court campaign. The race was the most expensive judicial campaign ever waged in North Carolina, with outside conservative groups pouring millions into pro-Newby ads and each candidate spending more than $300,000.

A news release announcing Ervin's candidacy even notes the partisan tone of the 2012 race and discussed the changes to North Carolina's election and campaign finance laws that legislators recently passed. The changes included ending public financing for statewide judicial elections and increasing the maximum contribution to judicial candidates from $1,000 to $5,000.

“I am running because I believe the future of the courts is at stake," Ervin said in a statement. “I believe North Carolinians deserve fair, impartial and independent justices who are beholden to no one and have no agenda except to follow the law. That is why I am again a candidate for the Supreme Court.”

Ervin, 57, will run for Associate Justice Mark Martin's seat. Martin has announced plans to run for Chief Justice Sarah Parker's seat following her retirement next year.