These state supreme court races are top DLCC priorities because they will shape legislative election outcomes & Democrats’ ability to pass progressive policies
WASHINGTON—The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) today announced an update to our 2025-26 target map to include majority-deciding state supreme court races in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. These races will set the stage for the DLCC’s effort to flip both chambers of the Wisconsin state legislature and defend the Pennsylvania House, with serious implications for redistricting processes, abortion, voting rights, and more.
These target map additions build on the DLCC’s long-time strategy of engaging in non-legislative races with serious implications for our ballot level – including through the non-profit affiliate, the State Democracy Action Fund (SDAF), which invests in civic education and non-partisan work year-round. Last cycle, SDAF made a six-figure investment to help turn out the vote ahead of the Wisconsin state supreme court race and the DLCC invested six figures to support Justice Daniel McCaffery in Pennsylvania.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“Democrats’ ability to win state legislative races and build power in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania hinges on the outcomes of these state supreme court races. The DLCC has a record of success in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania – from supporting state supreme court wins to building Democratic power in legislatures – and we are bringing that winning strategy into 2025. We must preserve fair majorities to ensure state legislative races are run on fair maps and to protect the future of abortion access, voting rights, workers’ rights, and so much more.”
BACKGROUND
Wisconsin
- On April 1, Wisconsin voters will determine the court’s majority.
- Liberal justices hold a 4-3 majority on the court after Justice Janet Protasiewicz’s win in the 2023 special election, clinching the first liberal majority in 15 years. This win enabled the court to finally strike down Republican-gerrymandered legislative maps last year.
- Because of fair maps, Democrats were able to pick up 14 seats in the state legislature last cycle and the DLCC is now targeting Wisconsin to flip both chambers next November.
- That progress and opportunity could be wiped away if a conservative majority returns to the state supreme court and decides to accept a challenge to the new maps.
Pennsylvania
- On November 4, Pennsylvania voters will determine if three sitting justices should remain on the bench.
- These three justices helped swing the court to a Democratic majority nearly a decade ago. Since then, they have served as a critical bulwark against MAGA extremism in the state.
- The outcome of this election will determine the balance of power on the court. Representation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, voting rights, and other matters that will shape the future of the commonwealth hang in the balance.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the official Democratic Party committee dedicated to winning America’s state legislatures and building state infrastructure. Over the last decade, we have fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and we are leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
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