Candidate Profile: Jeff Hughes - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Jeff Hughes is a Judge on the First Circuit Court of Appeal here in Baton Rouge. He says he's the most experience with 22 years on the bench. He is a former district court judge in Livingston Parish and he says that experience will propel him to the Supreme Court.

"I have a very worthy opponent," says Hughes. "However I think experience will be the key issue in this race. I've been a judge for 22 years which is longer than my opponent. But more importantly I was a district judge for 14 of my 22 years where I actually tried cases, jury trials, criminal trials, also family court and juvenile cases which my opponent has not."

Hughes along with his opponent says he will not run a negative campaign because he says each candidate should just promote themselves and not tear down one another. "If you actually do something then you have that experience," says Hughes. "You can read about it, you can watch it on TV, but if you actually pick a jury as a lawyer, or you've actually conducted a murder trial as a judge I think that gives you experience that you cannot get any other way."

Hughes says he will concentrate on East Baton Rouge Parish voters but also says he will visit all eight parishes. He's a Republican and thinks that will help his campaign.

He is not in favor of camera's in the courtrooms.

The election is December 8th.

Copyright 2012 WAFB. All rights reserved.