Pat Timmons-Goodson is a Trailblazer. Now, she is poised to chart a new course.

Patricia Timmons-Goodson, the first African American woman to serve on the Supreme Court of North Carolina and candidate for NC-08, was born the first of six children in a military family. From an early age she served as an example for her five younger siblings, especially after the early loss of her father.

Timmons-Goodson’s life has been one of firsts. She was one of the first African American students to become a double Tar Heel, earning her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In 1984 at 29 years of age, she became the first African American District Court Judge in the 12th District of North Carolina. She would go on to be elected to three consecutive terms by the voters of the district.

Into her third term, Timmons-Goodson became the first African American woman elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 1997.

Nine years later, she became the first African American woman on the North Carolina Supreme Court. North Carolina voters ratified the Governor’s appointment in a resounding statewide victory later that same year.

She retired from the Supreme Court in 2012 and was appointed to the United States Commission on Civil Rights in 2014. As part of the Commission, Timmons-Goodson addressed many issues, from water contamination in rural towns to voting access.

In 2016, President Obama nominated her to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, a 44-county region. If appointed, she would have been the first black judge in the district, and would have filled the seat left vacant for a decade. Unfortunately, the federal appointment was blocked by the Republican-held U.S. Senate.

Now, she’s running for the 8th Congressional District. Timmons-Goodson believes that each generation is charged with strengthening America and continuing its centuries of progress. She is running for Congress to bring new leadership to Washington. If elected, she would be the first black woman to serve North Carolina’s 8th district in Congress.

To learn more about Patricia Timmons-Goodson and her campaign in NC-08, visit www.timmonsgoodsonforcongress.com.

North Carolina Democrats believe that our representatives from the top to the bottom of the ticket should reflect the diversity of our state — and that means electing a lot more women. Pitch in $10 or more during Women’s History Month to help us support Democratic candidates who will fight equal opportunities in 2020: ncdp.org/elect-more-women