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I sought other opinions within the Guilford County legal community. They vary widely. Some attorneys don't know Farlow, which isn't surprising given how many lawyers there are in Guilford County.

One, who did not want to be named, offered praise: Farlow has a very fine mind, is a fine lawyer. She works very hard, puts in long hours, drafts legal documents beautifully. She's beautifully educated, a great analyst and a passionate advocate for her clients. This person, although also praising Judge Wynn, would have "no reservations" about Farlow's election to the bench.

A couple of others I spoke with do have deep reservations about Farlow's candidacy. But they likewise did not want to speak on the record.

Farlow told me her 19 years of law practice qualify her to serve on the Court of Appeals. She believes it would put her skills at writing briefs to good use.

She cited two cases in which she believes Wynn made poor judgments. One is the lottery case, which you can read here. I happen to agree with her (and with Poirier, who cited it as well).

The second case, State v. Julius Wayne White, goes back 10 years, and Wynn wrote a dissenting opinion that leads Farlow to conclude he's "soft on crime." You can read the opinion and decide for yourself. I don't necessarily agree with Wynn's conclusion but I understand his reasoning and certainly don't conclude from it that he's "soft on crime." Anyway, one case out of thousands over an 18-year career is thin evidence on which to build such a strong indictment.

I had a cordial interview with Farlow, but on balance my personal view is that she's the candidate in this race who should not advance past the primary. Her past troubles raise a red flag. She undoubtedly has changed as a person, and her record has been cleared, but if she wants to be a judge she should should prove herself first at a lower level in the judicial system than the court of appeals. Several Guilford County District Court judges are running unopposed this year. She could have tested herself in that arena.

Wynn is highly respected throughout the state and across party lines -- not necessarily by partisan Republicans but among people in legal circles who happen to be Republicans but think justice should be nonpolitical. Wynn has built a strong reputation and wants to be remembered as a fair and impartial judge.

He told me he'd like to see the judicial system do a better job at the front end. He's not a fan of the actual innocence process because that kicks in after the system already has failed, convicting an innocent person. He acknowledges there are disparities that put some people at a disadvantage -- those who can't afford the best representation, for example. That needs to be addressed.

Wynn speaks of his position on the bench as public service. Indeed, lawyers with his credentials and experience could earn a lot more money in the private sector. (Of his opponents, however, he said he suspects they're running to get a pay raise.)

Wynn said he'd like to serve one more term (which is eight years), but "I can't stay as a Court of Appeals judge forever. I will not, and I will move on.

"I've been very blessed to how served 18 years. I'm hopeful there will be a second season (after the Court of Appeals)."

If his second season brings another chance to serve on the federal bench? "If it's in a federal judgeship, it will be very wonderful."

Pourier hears cases appealed through the Employment Security Commission, usually people denied unemployment benefits. He's heard 10,000 cases and written that many opinions in the last 10+ years, he said. He also teaches law courses at several colleges, some classes on site and some online, he said, giving him a chance to go over judicial decisions on all subjects with students. He's also been in private practice, once sharing office space with Ann Marie Calabria, who's now a judge on the Court of Appeals.

Pourier was a computer programmer for a few years after college before deciding to go to law school. He took the PSAT on a whim, he said, and practically aced it.

Pourier strikes me as very conservative. He cited the Terry Schiavo case as one that upset him. The decision to end her life support amounted to murder of a human being, in his estimation.

In my separate phone interviews with Wynn and Poirier Monday, both raised issues of race.

Wynn noted that he's one of two African Americans out of 15 judges on the Court of Appeals. At one time there were four. If he loses this year, the number will be whittled to one. He believes public confidence in the judiciary is higher when the court more closely reflects the demographics of the people. He also spoke with pride about visiting places like Southeast Halifax High School, where almost all students are black, and showing kids what they can do with their lives.

I didn't ask Pourier, who is white, about the racial element in this election. He brought it up himself, saying race, gender, sexual preference -- none of that entitles someone to a seat on the bench.

If you want to make that an issue, he added, he's one-fourth Native American, claiming a grandmother who was an Algonquin Indian.

I didn't really want to go there. Judicial candidates, more than people running for political offices, ought to be elected on their qualifications in my view.

That said, race is sadly still a factor for some voters. It cuts all ways, but shouldn't.

For the record, despite her old complaint of a hostile racial environment at Wachovia, Farlow is white.

Addendums: You can download a voting guide with more info about candidates at the State Board of Elections site here.

Also of interest: The North Carolina Family Policy Council questionnaire for judicial candidates. Poirier answered; Wynn explained why he was declining to answer; Farlow did not respond.