华盛顿州长弗格森背书上诉法院法官伯克竞选州最高法院
华盛顿州州长鲍勃·弗格森（Bob Ferguson）10月10日宣布，背书上诉法院法官伊恩·伯克（Ian Birk）竞选华盛顿州最高法院法官，为今年秋季的司法选战再添重量级政治砝码。
弗格森表示，作出这一背书的主要原因是伯克的正直品格、丰富的法律执业经验，以及对法治的坚定承诺。他希望这一支持能巩固伯克问鼎州最高司法机构的选情。
伯克目前担任华盛顿州上诉法院第一庭法官，自2022年起任职。他拥有约20年的诉讼律师经历，早年曾作为原告方律师执业，并担任过华盛顿州最高法院法官的助理。他19岁便从华盛顿大学获得学士学位，是土生土长的第五代华盛顿人。竞选团队称，伯克已获得全州司法界和劳工团体的广泛联盟支持。
这次背书正值华盛顿州司法选举进入关键阶段。今年11月大选，华盛顿选民将投票决定5个法院席位的归属。就在10月10日当天，州最高法院候选人还围绕司法中立性举行了辩论；而在9月30日，州最高法院刚刚裁定第2066号倡议无效，凸显最高法院在州政治生活中的分量。
不过，高层政治人物公开为法官候选人站台也引发争议。反对者认为，此类背书可能损害公众对司法独立性的观感，主张应通过非党派程序遴选法官，以减少行政权力对法院的影响。
分析认为，州长背书标志着建制派力量在伯克身后进一步集结，将直接提升其选战的曝光度和募款能力。随着选举日临近，选民需要权衡：这样的政治支持与其各自对州最高法院独立性的期待是否相符。
（消息来源：综合报道）
Washington Gov. Ferguson Endorses Judge Ian Birk for State Supreme Court
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced on October 10 his endorsement of Court of Appeals Judge Ian Birk in his campaign for the Washington State Supreme Court, adding heavyweight political backing to this fall's judicial races.
Ferguson cited Birk's integrity, extensive legal experience and commitment to the rule of law as the primary reasons for the endorsement, saying the support aims to bolster Birk's bid for a seat on the state's highest court.
Birk currently serves on Division 1 of the Washington Court of Appeals, a post he has held since 2022. He brings about two decades of experience as a litigator, previously worked as a plaintiff's attorney, and served as a law clerk for the Washington State Supreme Court. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Washington at age 19 and is a fifth-generation Washingtonian. His campaign says he has drawn support from a broad coalition of judicial and labor groups across the state.
The endorsement lands as Washington's judicial elections enter a critical phase. In this November's general election, voters will decide five court seats. On October 10, Supreme Court candidates debated judicial neutrality, and on September 30 the state Supreme Court invalidated Initiative 2066 — underscoring the high court's weight in state political life.
High-level political endorsements of judicial candidates remain controversial, however. Critics argue such backing can compromise the public's perception of judicial impartiality and push for nonpartisan selection processes to minimize executive influence over the courts.
Analysts say the governor's endorsement marks a further consolidation of establishment support behind Birk, directly boosting his campaign's visibility and fundraising. As Election Day approaches, voters will have to weigh whether such political backing aligns with their own expectations for an independent state high court.
(Source: compiled reports)
图片来源：图：华盛顿州议会大厦（奥林匹亚）。摄影：OceanLoop，CC BY-SA 4.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons
