Jamal Summey won the Judicial District 7 district court judge seat 4 Tuesday while Takiya Lewis Blalock won seat 3.
Summey, a former assistant district attorney who is currently in private practice, earned 52.13 percent of the votes to beat Assata Kimbrough Buffaloe, also an attorney, who collected 47.87 percent of the vote.
Blalock defeated Roanoke Rapids attorney Thomas Earl Dixon by a 59.60 percent to 40.40 percent margin, according to unofficial election returns.
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Summey this morning said he felt a sense of euphoria after his victory. “It was a total, total team effort. I had some amazing people working that made this happen. Without them I wouldn’t be talking to you right now or sitting in this position I’m going to be in.”
He said it took a lot of collaboration. “I had support from all my friends in law enforcement, colleagues and those in the profession. Some things had to come together. I ran hard.”
Summey said his goal as a judge will be to be fair and impartial. “I’m going to take some of the lessons I’ve learned from judges that are already on the bench. I just want the people to be proud. I’m going to be compassionate but I’m also going to be fair. I’m going to make sure I hold people accountable. I’m going to hold people accountable for their actions and I’m going to make sure the public holds me accountable. I’m going to keep the same cell number. I’m going to be accountable to the people, I’m going to be accessible to the people. I’m going to adhere to my campaign promises and hold people accountable for the crimes they commit.”
He said he plans on making good use of the court’s time. “Starting on time and ending on time — making efficient use of the court’s time.”
That also includes coordinating and collaborating with the other judges to make sure the peoples’ time is not wasted and make sure that victims get “efficient and effective closure in their cases in a timely manner and make sure defendants have their day in court in a timely manner.”
Summey said his first duty when he is sworn in on January 1 will be “to do the job people entrusted in me and make everyone proud who voted for me and that I’m fair to everyone and hold people accountable. As far as making changes there’s no way in the world I can do that.”
Asked if it was going to be hard giving up practicing law he said, “I’ll still be practicing law but in a judge’s capacity. Becoming a judge is a natural progression. I’ve been doing this 28 years. I’ve been on both sides of the table, I’ve done civil work, prosecution and defense. This is a natural progression. It should have happened a long time ago. This has been a hard-fought, well-deserved accomplishment and because it is I’m not going to take it for granted. It’s not like it was given to me or I was appointed. This is something I had to fight like a dog to get.”
Blalock, an Ahoskie attorney, did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
