Court won't get involved in Minn. elections fight

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won't stop Minnesota from blocking its judicial candidates from endorsing candidates in other elections and soliciting campaign contributions.

The high court on Monday refused to hear an appeal of Minnesota's rules for judicial candidates. Gregory Wersal, who wants a seat on that state's Supreme Court, tried to challenge the ban on judicial candidates endorsing candidates for other offices. He also wants the ban on soliciting campaign contributions thrown out. But the federal courts have refused to invalidate the Minnesota laws. And now the high court has refused to hear his appeal.

In 2002, Wersal won a case before the U.S. Supreme Court that led to the removal of most rules that had restricted judicial candidates from taking public positions on issues and seeking or accepting endorsements.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.