Pennsylvania Democrats are putting the focus on abortion access, election integrity, and redistricting ahead of the state’s Supreme Court retention election.
The state’s voters will head to the polls on Nov. 4 to cast their ballots in the unique election, voting whether or not to keep three current state supreme court members in their positions. Left-leaning justices Kevin Dougherty, Christine Donohue, and David Wecht, all appointed in 2015, are up for the retention election. But, if voters give them the boot, there will not be anyone to replace them, as the next Supreme Court election will be held in 2027.
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Pennsylvania’s state Democratic National Committee Chairman Eugene DePasquale zeroed in on how the upcoming judicial election could be critical in possible election rulings during the 2026 cycle and have implications for the national redistricting saga. DePasquale made the comments in a press call on Friday, alongside President of Reproductive Freedom for All Mini Timmaraju and national DNC Chairman Ken Martin.
“This court has specifically stood up to making sure that every single vote gets counted. If they were to not be retained, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court would not have a quorum for the 2026 election, for example. That would throw, potentially, our elections, from a national perspective, into chaos,” DePasquale said.
He also pointed to the national hot-topic issue of redistricting, pointing to how the current state supreme court ruled against a congressional redistricting map in 2018.
The DNC brought Timmaraju in to bring abortion to the forefront of the race. Timmaraju discussed how Reproductive Freedom for All has invested in the race, as well as Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania.
“Pennsylvania has been a tough state for abortion access for quite some time. Nothing can be taken for granted,” Timmaraju said. “Republicans in the legislature are determined to move an abortion ban, and there’s actual litigation right now that could level up to the state Supreme Court. So 100%, the risk level is extremely high. That is why we jumped into this race.”
Martin brought the issue of the state’s Supreme Court’s possible involvement in certifying the 2028 presidential election results to the table. He alluded to its actions in ensuring the count of every late ballot in the 2020 election and upholding the election results to confirm former President Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump.
“The Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention races are among the most important elections in the nation this year. What happens on Nov. 4 can make all the difference in the 2028 presidential election, just how it was five years ago,” Martin said.
Martin likened the conservative influence on the Pennsylvania judicial election to the influence of Tesla CEO Elon Musk pouring money behind conservative Judge Brad Schimel in Wisconsin, who lost his election in April. Studies showed Musk’s influence actually backfired during the election.
“Now we have Trump’s billionaire buddies trying to buy our courts. They’ve tried and failed in Wisconsin earlier this year, and now they have their eyes set on Pennsylvania. As I’ve said in Pennsylvania, I’ve been there many times campaigning, ‘Not on our watch,’” Martin said.
Frustration loomed behind the voices of both DePasquale and Martin, as they spoke about how the retention races in Pennsylvania have been historically “apolitical,” as DePasquale put it.
“A [Make America Great Again] billionaire has decided to invest millions and millions of dollars into this election, basically trying to take corporate control of the court and throwing it in the chaos,” DePasquale said, though he did not specify who he was referring to.
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According to SpotlightPA, Commonwealth Partners, bankrolled by conservative billionaire Jeff Yass, has invested in the election. Conservative activist Scott Presler told the Washington Examiner in April that he was investing resources to get activists in Pennsylvania to encourage people to vote.
Major Democratic donors, however, have also been bankrolling the race. Organizations such as the DNC, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, and the American Civil Liberties Union have announced six-figure ad buys in the election.
