In the push and pull over whether a Republican judge’s request to throw out more than 60,000 votes in his election contest should be considered in state or federal court, a panel of federal judges said Tuesday that the case will stay in state court for now.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that North Carolina's disputed race for a seat on the state Supreme Court must be reviewed in state courts before the matter can go before a federal tribunal.

Three counts found an incumbent Democrat won a State Supreme Court race. But the Republican candidate is trying to nullify more than 60,000 votes.

Republican judge Jefferson Griffin has won a temporary reprieve in his effort to undo the 2024 election results that showed him losing to Democratic Justice Allison Riggs in a race for the state Supreme Court.

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.