After Wisconsin, these four states' Supreme Court elections are key for stopping GOP gerrymandering

[RandySF]

Progressives just celebrated a decisive victory for the Wisconsin Supreme Court last week, one that sets them up to flip the court in just a few years and finally put them in a position to police Republicans’ voter suppression tactics, including their extreme gerrymanders.

But Wisconsin is by no means the only state Democrats should have on their target lists for 2020 when it comes to supreme courts. Progressives have the chance to make major gains—or even take outright majorities—on several other top courts this year, including those in Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas.

MICHIGAN

Bottom line: Democrats can flip the Michigan Supreme Court from Republicans
Composition: 4 Republicans, 3 Democrats
2020 elections: 2 seats up (nonpartisan with partisan primaries)
Democratic Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack, first elected in 2012
OPEN (Republican Justice Stephen Markman, first appointed by ex-Gov. John Engler (R) in 1999, faces mandatory retirement)

Democrats have an excellent chance to take control of the supreme court in the battleground state of Michigan thanks to an open Republican seat, though they’ll also have to defend a seat held by a Democrat, Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack.

NORTH CAROLINA

Bottom line: Republicans can flip the North Carolina Supreme Court from Democrats
Composition: 6 Democrats, 1 Republican
2020 elections: 3 seats up (partisan)
Democratic Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, first elected in 2014 and appointed chief justice in 2019 by Gov. Roy Cooper (D), faces Republican Associate Justice Paul Newby, first elected in 2004
Democratic Justice Mark Davis, appointed in 2019 by Gov. Roy Cooper (D), faces former Republican state Sen. Tamara Barringer
OPEN (Republican Paul Newby, first elected in 2004, is running for chief justice against Beasley); Republican
Court of Appeals Judge Phil Berger Jr. faces fellow Democratic Court of Appeals Judge Lucy Inman

North Carolina is another evenly divided swing state where Republicans have gone to great extremes trying to undermine democracy. Democrats currently hold a 6-1 majority on the Supreme Court, but it’s only guaranteed until 2022 unless they sweep all three races on the ballot this November. If they can, that would extend their majority until at least 2026.

OHIO

Bottom line: Democrats can flip the Ohio Supreme Court from Republicans
Composition: 5 Republicans, 2 Democrats
2020 elections: 2 seats up (nonpartisan with partisan primaries)
Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy, first elected in 2012, faces Democratic Cuyahoga County trial court Judge John O'Donnell, who narrowly lost in 2016 for another Supreme Court seat
Republican Justice Judith French, appointed in 2013 by ex-Gov. John Kasich (R), faces Democratic Court of Appeals Judge Jennifer Brunner, who won one term as secretary of state in 2006

Ohio is often described as a state that recently enacted redistricting reforms, but those measures were largely window dressing that will do little to stop Republican gerrymandering as-is. However, Democrats have the chance to take control of the state Supreme Court, which could actually put some teeth into those reforms and stop extreme GOP maps.

TEXAS

Bottom line: Democrats can shrink Republicans’ majority on the Texas Supreme Court to one seat
Composition: 9 Republicans
2020 elections: 4 seats up (partisan)
Republican Justice Jeffrey Boyd, appointed in 2012 by ex-Gov. Rick Perry (R), faces Democratic Dallas County District Court Judge Staci Williams
Republican Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, appointed in 2013 by ex-Gov. Rick Perry (R), faces Democratic Travis County District Court Judge Amy Clark Meachum
Republican Justice Brett Busby, appointed in 2019 by Gov. Greg Abbott (R), faces Democratic Court of Appeals Judge Gisela Triana
Republican Justice Jane Bland, appointed in 2019 by Gov. Greg Abbott (R), faces Democratic attorney Kathy Cheng

While Democrats can’t gain control over the Texas Supreme Court this fall, they can do a lot of damage: If they run the table, the GOP’s majority would shrink from 9-0 to just 5-4. That would put them in position to flip the court as soon as 2022.



https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/4/22/1937550/-After-Wisconsin-these-four-states-Supreme-Court-elections-are-key-for-stopping-GOP-gerrymandering

[Wounded Bear]

1. K & R...for visibility...nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Gerrymandering, dirty tricks & voter suppression are pillars of Greed Over People elections. . . nt

[Thunderbeast]

3. Who is raising $$ to support liberal judge candidates?

The races for judges and state legislatures are critical in setting this country on a corrective course.

Is any group focused on these nonpartisan judicial causes?

[RandySF]

4. NDRC

National Democratic Redistricting Committee.

[BComplex]

5. The stacking of judges by the republicans since the bush regime has been devastating to democracy

We have to change these supreme courts to safe democratic majorities.

[mahina]

6. This is the most important article I've seen in a long while

K and RRRRRR

[gopiscrap]

7. yes!!!

[SheltieLover]

8. K&R

[UTUSN]

9. K&R

[Blue Owl]

10. Critical -- K&R

[Hortensis]

11. Voters electing a liberal Democrat in WI has to help create a favorable

wind for liberal candidates in the other states as well. Or at least a little breeze.

OH is an exciting opportunity. Notably, though, with OH's delayed primary election in 5 days, April 28, by last week less than a quarter had requested absentee ballots. Only disabled and homeless people will be able to vote in person. All early votes will still be counted, though all sources are saying turnout looks like it's going to be low.

Newark Advocate: "about 866,000 Democrats have requested absentee ballots, compared to 705,000 who want a GOP ballot. About 93,000 have sought an issues-only ballot."