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Conservative billionaire Jeff Yass is helping fund mailers calling on voters to reject PA's Democratic justices
https://boltsmag.org/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025/The GOP’s mission is straightforward: If voters remove Donohue, Dougherty, and Wecht, the current 5-2 Democratic majority would fall to a 2-2 tie. Republicans would then have a shot at winning an outright majority in the 2027 cycle, in time for the 2028 presidential election.
But in practice, this is a tall order.
But in practice, this is a tall order.
Democrats have run this court ever since Donohue, Dougherty, and Wecht were all elected in a 2015 wave that flipped the court blue for the first time in a decade. The flip proved hugely consequential; the new majority struck down a GOP gerrymander, which helped Democrats gain in the 2018 midterms.
The majority also upheld Act 77, a state law allowing mail-in voting, and just last week it issued a decision that should ensure many ballots at risk of being tossed will in fact be counted. This court also rejected Trump’s repeated attempts to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election.
These election cases have angered Republicans, and they’re eager to take back the majority before the next presidential race, which is sure to generate more election lawsuits. The stakes are not lost on various powerful forces now throwing big money at this election. Conservative billionaire Jeff Yass, the richest man in Pennsylvania, is helping fund a series of eye-catching, misleading mailers calling on voters to reject the justices. The national Republican State Leadership Committee has poured in cash, and its counterpart, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, has responded in kind.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has tallied more than $7 million total this cycle—with much more doubtless to come by Election Day. It’s already one of the most expensive retention elections in U.S. history, and some experts in judicial spending think it may end up breaking the national record.
The majority also upheld Act 77, a state law allowing mail-in voting, and just last week it issued a decision that should ensure many ballots at risk of being tossed will in fact be counted. This court also rejected Trump’s repeated attempts to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election.
These election cases have angered Republicans, and they’re eager to take back the majority before the next presidential race, which is sure to generate more election lawsuits. The stakes are not lost on various powerful forces now throwing big money at this election. Conservative billionaire Jeff Yass, the richest man in Pennsylvania, is helping fund a series of eye-catching, misleading mailers calling on voters to reject the justices. The national Republican State Leadership Committee has poured in cash, and its counterpart, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, has responded in kind.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has tallied more than $7 million total this cycle—with much more doubtless to come by Election Day. It’s already one of the most expensive retention elections in U.S. history, and some experts in judicial spending think it may end up breaking the national record.
"Conservative billionaire Jeff Yass, the richest man in Pennsylvania, is helping fund a series of eye-catching, MISLEADING mailers calling on voters to reject the justices."
— John P Dougherty (JD) (@jdcshaverford.bsky.social) 2025-10-13T16:32:23.386Z
"GOP cheating" is redundant in PA.
Vote YES on retention of PA Supreme Court justices