{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Robert H. Gilmore","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Robert H. Gilmore is a sitting Sampson County District Court Judge who has entered the 2026 race for North Carolina Superior Court Judge in Judicial District 5 as a Republican candidate. The Superior Court seat, covering Duplin, Sampson, Jones and Onslow counties, requires a jurist with \"legal skill, humility, diligence, compassion\" and the ability to uphold high ethical standards and public trust, as described by the outgoing judge who endorsed Gilmore [10].\n\nGilmore was born in the Keener community of Sampson County and graduated from Hobbton High School. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University, graduating as valedictorian [10]. Prior to his judicial service, Gilmore practiced law in Clinton, North Carolina, and served as a prosecutor handling serious felony cases, including murder, rape, and armed robbery [10].\n\nIn 2020, Gilmore was elected to the Sampson County District Court, where he has presided over cases in District 5. His tenure on the bench has been highlighted by a focus on fairness, professionalism, and dedication to the law, qualities praised by District 5 Superior Court Judge Henry L. Stevens IV, who announced his retirement and endorsed Gilmore for the Superior Court seat [10][11].\n\nGilmore\u2019s campaign platform emphasizes maintaining high ethical standards, treating every individual with respect, ensuring victims\u2019 voices are heard, providing access to the courts, and collaborating with court staff, attorneys, and the community to foster public trust in the judiciary [10]. He has positioned his experience as a prosecutor and district judge as preparation for the broader responsibilities of a Superior Court judge, which include presiding over major civil and criminal matters across the four\u2011county district.\n\nFinancial disclosures filed with Transparency USA show Gilmore\u2019s campaign has raised $22,090 and spent $4,102, with top contributors including Bryon Smith and Kevin Joseph Kiernan, each giving $5,000 [12]. The campaign\u2019s online presence includes a Facebook page, \"Robert Gilmore for Judge,\" which serves as a primary outreach venue for voters [9].\n\n## Sources\n- [9] [Robert Gilmore for Judge (@voterobertgilmore)](https://www.facebook.com/voterobertgilmore/)\n- [10] [Gilmore announces his candidacy for Superior Court Judge | Sampson Independent](https://www.clintonnc.com/news/111460/gilmore-announceshis-candidacy-forsuperior-court-judge)\n- [11] [Judge Stevens endorses Gilmore for Superior Court | Local News | jdnews.com](https://www.jdnews.com/news/local/judge-stevens-endorses-gilmore-for-superior-court/article_c760255e-d28f-53f8-8873-1b092db19d32.html)\n- [12] [Robert Gilmore - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/robert-gilmore)","firstname":"Robert","lastname":"Gilmore","middlename":"Harding","suffix":null,"token":"45aa69e9b34097f0"},"token":"_7joytiDRE3Z3oWA"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":null,"o.office":"superior_court_judge","office":"superior_court_judge","officedescription":"In North Carolina, a superior court judge presides over the general-jurisdiction trial court \u2014 felony criminal cases and civil cases above the district-court limit \u2014 riding a rotation among the counties of the judicial district. Decisions are subject to appellate review.","officequalities":"- Trial-court judge of general civil and criminal jurisdiction \u2014 presides over jury and bench trials, dispositive motions, and felony sentencing.\n- Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.\n- Impartiality and ethics under the North Carolina Code of Judicial Conduct, including recusal when conflicts arise.\n- Working knowledge of the substantive and procedural law that controls, and the published precedent.\n- Docket management across a rotating district while honoring due process.\n- Clear written and oral explanation of rulings, so the parties and the public can follow the reasoning.","officeterm":8,"officetitle":"Superior Court Judge","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Nc Superior Court Judge District 05 Seat 01"}