Well, I know it would be nice to belive that somehow Republican judges are above all that - but I just don't think so. Call me a cynic - but if trial lawyers 'buy' the election for a judge, they are going to expect, and will get, something in return -
I think you misunderstood my point. Trial lawyers may be trying to buy the election for their RAT candidates, but their candidates have consistently lost over the last ten years. Put another way, they have been mostly unsucessful in buying judges.
However, if we had an appointed system, it would be much easier for them to underhandedly install their bought-and-paid-for judicial candidates.