A North Carolina trial judge has upheld decisions by election officials to reject protests by the trailing candidate in a very close state Supreme Court election.

In a win for Judge Jefferson Griffin, his challenge to North Carolina Supreme Court seat race will remain in state court, with a federal court retaining jurisdiction of several federal issues, should they remain after state court proceedings are resolved.

A Wake County Superior Court judge on Friday rejected Republican Jefferson Griffin’s attempt to throw out 65,000 ballots cast in November’s Supreme Court election. Affirming the decision of the State Board of Elections,