State supreme courts can have a dramatic impact on politics and policy, and this year, we have an extraordinary chance to flip the Michigan Supreme Court from a conservative majority to a progressive one. It starts by electing Sam Bagenstos, a widely respected civil rights lawyer endorsed by labor unions, progressive organizations, and the Michigan Democratic Party.
We recently saw 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 Michigan, the Supreme Court is poised to determine the future of a vast array of disputes, and that includes gerrymandering. Michigan’s congressional map is just as bad as Pennsylvania’s was: Even though the state tilts blue, Republicans hold nine of its 14 congressional districts while Democrats hold just five. And if conservatives retain their hold on the court, there’s no reason to think they’ll follow Pennsylvania’s lead and rectify this injustice.
But by electing progressives like Sam Bagenstos to the Supreme Court this fall, we can encourage a brand of justice that helps move the state forward toward greater fairness, with deeper consideration for the less fortunate.
Contribute $3 today to help elect Sam Bagenstos and establish a progressive Supreme Court in Michigan!