State supreme courts can have a dramatic impact on politics and policy, and this year, we have an extraordinary chance to buttress the progressive majority on the North Carolina Supreme Court. It starts by electing Anita Earls, a widely respected civil rights lawyer who’s been endorsed by the North Carolina Democratic Party.
We recently saw an example of the massive impact a progressive Supreme Court can have in Pennsylvania, where the majority on the state’s highest court delivered a landmark ruling that invalidated the GOP’s congressional gerrymander and replaced it with a map that’s fair to both parties—the first time any such gerrymander had ever been struck down by the courts.
As federal courts fill up with Trump appointees, state courts are becoming the last line of defense on matters ranging from civil rights to voting rights to workers’ rights. But in states that elect their judges, we can impact who sits on the bench and help ensure fair decisions on all of these major issues and more for years to come.
In North Carolina, the Supreme Court is poised to determine the future of a vast array of disputes, and that includes gerrymandering. North Carolina’s congressional map is just as bad as Pennsylvania’s was: Even though it’s a swing state, Republicans hold 10 of its 13 congressional districts while Democrats hold just three. And if we can expand the court’s progressive majority, that makes it more likely it’ll follow Pennsylvania’s lead and rectify this injustice.
And there’s no better person for the job than Earls, who’s played a lead role in successfully challenging those Republican congressional maps for violating the Constitution because they diminished the power of black voters. Amazingly, Earls’ opponent upheld those very maps—which were later found unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Earls also founded and leads the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, a nonprofit that provides legal, research, and organizing support for communities of color, so you can be sure she understands how important fairness is when it comes to political representation.
Contribute $3 today to help elect Anita Earls and ensure a progressive Supreme Court in North Carolina!