The Major Stakes Of State Supreme Court Races

Update: 2024-09-17

Digest

The podcast begins with a humorous discussion about an 8-year-old girl who drove to Target, highlighting the absurdity of the situation but also expressing a sense of understanding for the child's desire to drive. The conversation then shifts to more serious topics, including the Secret Service's successful thwarting of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and the ongoing legal battle over TikTok's future in the United States. The podcast then delves into the importance of state Supreme Court elections, which often receive less attention than national elections but have significant consequences for people's lives. The hosts discuss the impact of these elections on issues like abortion rights, voting rights, and criminal justice, highlighting states where the stakes are particularly high, such as Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, and Florida. The hosts interview Daniel Nicanian, founder and editor of Bolts, a non-profit news publication covering state and local elections. Nicanian discusses the impact of partisan vs. non-partisan judicial races, arguing that partisan races make it harder for candidates to escape the gravity of other political events in the state and can influence the behavior of justices on the bench. The podcast concludes with a discussion about the strategy of supporting opposing candidates to help your own candidate win. The hosts argue that this strategy can be risky and can backfire, as seen in the 2022 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election. They emphasize the importance of focusing on winning elections rather than engaging in complicated political maneuvers.

Outlines

00:00:00

State Supreme Court Elections: A Vital but Often Overlooked Race

This episode explores the significance of state Supreme Court elections, highlighting their impact on crucial issues like abortion rights, voting rights, and criminal justice. The discussion focuses on states where the stakes are particularly high, including Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, and Florida.

00:00:37

The Perils of Partisan Judicial Races

The episode delves into the impact of partisan vs. non-partisan judicial races, examining how partisan races can influence the behavior of justices on the bench and make it harder for candidates to escape the gravity of other political events in the state.

00:16:30

The Ethics of Political Strategy: Supporting Opposing Candidates

The episode concludes with a discussion about the strategy of supporting opposing candidates to help your own candidate win. The hosts analyze the risks and ethical implications of this strategy, emphasizing the importance of focusing on winning elections rather than engaging in complicated political maneuvers.

Keywords

State Supreme Court Elections

Elections for judges on state Supreme Courts, which often have significant consequences for people's lives, including abortion rights, voting rights, and criminal justice issues.

Partisan Judicial Races

Judicial elections where candidates are affiliated with a political party, potentially influencing their decisions and behavior on the bench.

Retention Election

A type of election in which voters decide whether to keep an incumbent judge in office. Retention elections are common for state Supreme Court judges.

Third-Party Candidate

A candidate who runs for office outside of the two major political parties, often with the goal of influencing the outcome of an election.

Siphon Off Votes

A strategy in which a candidate or group attempts to draw votes away from a particular candidate or party to benefit another candidate or party.

Patriots Run Project

A shadowy group with ties to Democratic consulting firms that is recruiting Trump supporters to run as third-party candidates in swing districts.

Doug Mastriano

A far-right candidate who ran for governor of Pennsylvania in 2022. He was supported by Democrats in the hopes that he would win the Republican primary and make the general election easier for the Democratic candidate.

Q&A

Why are state Supreme Court elections so important?
State Supreme Courts have significant power over issues like abortion rights, voting rights, and criminal justice. Their decisions can have a major impact on people's lives.
What are some of the states where the stakes are highest in the upcoming state Supreme Court elections?
Michigan and Ohio are two states where the partisan majority on the state Supreme Court is on the ballot. Arizona and Florida are also important states to watch, as their Supreme Courts have recently upheld strict abortion bans.
What are the potential risks and ethical implications of supporting opposing candidates to help your own candidate win?
This strategy can be risky, as it could backfire and lead to the election of a candidate you don't want to see in office. It also raises ethical concerns about whether it is appropriate to support candidates you disagree with for purely strategic reasons.

Show Notes

Voters in more than 30 states will get to weigh in on elections for their state supreme courts this November, with 82 seats up for grabs. While state judicial races often get overshadowed in a presidential election year, the outcomes of these races have massive consequences on people's lives. It's often state supreme courts that get the final say on local abortion restrictions, redistricting and gerrymandering cases, laws that target the LGBTQ community, and tons of other important issues. Daniel Nichanian, founder and editor of Bolts magazine, breaks down which states have big Supreme Court elections coming up and where the stakes are highest.

And in headlines: The interim head of the Secret Service said the man suspected of planning a second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump did not fire his rifle or have a sightline on Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris met with leaders from the Teamsters in an attempt to win their endorsement, and Boar's Head is shutting down the Virginia meat production facility at the center of a listeria outbreak.

Show Notes: