The Superior Court Judge race in which incumbent Ken Scheibenberger is being challenged by Wendy Davis and Lewis Griffin was one of the toughest endorsement editorials I've had to deal with in several years. For one thing, it's not the usual political contest we're used to writing about, in which the candidates have specific positions on specific issues. For another, the candidates are restrained by the Indiana Supreme Court in how they can campaign, a handicap not faced by candidates in other types of races. And finally, the judge's competence and fairness on the bench weren't really an issue. The only reason he faces a challenge is because he let his personal life intrude on his public one. So the question is: Were his intemperate actions severe enough to warrant his removal by voters? We finally came down on the side of those voting against him:
Have members of the public lost faith in the judge to the point that they doubt that justice will be available in his court?
[. . .]
It's a close call, but, sadly, we suspect the judge has earned enough disdain from the public overall to make his job on the bench too difficult.
[. . .]
But decorum
