Appeals court judge will run for Supreme Court

LANSING (AP) — Brock Swartzle, a judge on the state appeals court, said he’s running for the Michigan Supreme Court.

Supreme Court candidates are nominated by political parties, although they don’t have a party designation on the ballot. Swartzle will seek the Republican nod.

Two seats will be on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The Democratic Party has endorsed Chief Justice Bridget McCormack and Elizabeth Welch, a Grand Rapids-area lawyer.

Justices nominated by the Republican Party have a 4-3 majority on the court. Justice Stephen Markman, a Republican, is retiring.

“We must always interpret and apply the law as written, not as we might have written it ourselves were we philosopher-kings,” Swartzle said on his website.

Swartzle was appointed to the appeals court by Gov. Rick Snyder in 2017 and won election in 2018. He served as a lawyer and chief of staff in the Michigan House and also worked in private law practice.