Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices Retained
Pennsylvania’s three Democratic justices on the Supreme Court are likely to stay in their positions, ensuring the party maintains its majority on the state’s highest court.
Recent projections indicate that voters have opted to keep Justices Christine Donahue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht on the bench for another decade. However, Justice Donahue is set to retire in 2027 upon reaching the state’s mandatory retirement age of 75.
In Pennsylvania, all judges face a retention vote every ten years. While it’s uncommon for judges to lose their positions through this process, this election was particularly charged as it could have shifted control away from the Democratic majority on the Supreme Court.
The Democratic campaign poured significant resources into advertising, surpassing $13 million on television spots since October. In contrast, Republicans only managed to invest around $2.8 million.
One ad emphasized how the justices defended abortion rights and the voting process, even amidst challenges from those in power.
On Sunday night, former President Trump stirred things up by urging voters to oppose the justices, stating in a Truth Social post:
Pennsylvanians, take note. On November 4th, you can take back the rule of law and stand up for the Constitution. Three Supreme Court justices from the Radical Democratic Party, who aim to stay in office for 10 years, are on the ballot. Vote “No, No, No” for Liberal Justices Donahue, Dougherty, and Wecht. These activist judges illegally gerrymandered your Congressional maps, which led to my corrupt impeachment, and locked you up by shutting down small businesses, schools, and churches during COVID-19. They released sex offenders from prison, ruled in favor of Sleepy Joe Biden multiple times, and interfered in the 2020 election. The time for justice has come. Vote “no, no, no” to keep these woke judges in office.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin released a statement celebrating the outcome.
Tonight, Pennsylvania delivered a message on behalf of the entire nation. No matter how wealthy we are or how powerful we think we are, our courts are not for sale. The victories of Justices Christine Donahue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht are significant wins for fair elections, reproductive rights, voting rights, and democracy. It’s sure to anger right-wing billionaires like Jeff Yass, but Pennsylvania families deserve to know that the Supreme Court is independent and not beholden to anyone.
Martin concluded, “Tonight proved that Democrats at every level can compete, win, and build power for the American people.”
