Conservative Group Moves to Block Obama-Backed Efforts in Key State Supreme Courts
A major conservative organization is ramping up efforts to prevent what it sees as a liberal takeover of state Supreme Courts, an initiative it believes is being orchestrated by Barack Obama and his allies. The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) PAC has announced a substantial plan to support conservative judges in six critical states this fall, aiming to counter the influence of former Attorney General Eric Holder and other Obama-backed figures.
The RSLC’s Judicial Fairness Initiative (JFI) has identified Arizona, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas as key battlegrounds where it will focus its resources. The organization has committed to a seven-figure investment to ensure that conservative voices remain influential in these courts. This move comes in response to what the RSLC describes as a coordinated effort by Holder to use state Supreme Courts to redraw congressional districts in predominantly red states, a strategy that could significantly impact the balance of power in Congress.
“With state elections heating up across the country, the RSLC’s Judicial Fairness Initiative (JFI) today released its target races in 2024. The JFI’s planned seven-figure investment will ensure that conservative judges continue to have a voice on the courts and prevent liberals from using majorities to legislate their radical agendas from the bench, including gerrymandering maps for state legislature and U.S. Congress in their favor,” the RSLC stated in a recent press release.
Dee Duncan, President of the RSLC, emphasized the ongoing nature of the redistricting battle, stating, “We know that redistricting is no longer a ten-year battle; it is a yearly fight. That is why we must elect more constitutional conservatives in races across the country this year to prevent liberals backed by millions in dark money from overturning conservative-led benches.” Duncan reaffirmed the RSLC’s commitment to electing judges who will uphold conservative principles and prevent the alleged influence of Obama and Holder in reshaping the judiciary.
State Supreme Courts have increasingly become focal points in the struggle over the future of the U.S. political landscape. In Wisconsin, for example, the court recently made headlines with a 4-3 decision allowing the use of ballot drop boxes in the 2024 election—a decision that has sparked significant controversy. The ruling reversed a previous decision by the court, which had banned drop boxes following the 2020 election when the court leaned conservative. This shift in the court’s composition, following the election of a liberal justice, underscores the high stakes involved in state Supreme Court races.
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who wrote the majority opinion in the Wisconsin case, argued that while the state Constitution does not explicitly allow drop boxes, it does permit voters to leave their ballots with the County Clerk, who may then choose to use drop boxes. This interpretation has been met with fierce opposition from conservatives, including Justice Rebecca Bradley, who penned a scathing dissent accusing the majority of abandoning the rule of law to further a political agenda.
“The majority again forsakes the rule of law in an attempt to advance its political agenda,” Justice Rebecca Bradley wrote, criticizing the decision as an overreach that undermines the Legislature’s authority.
The RSLC’s efforts to support conservative judges in the upcoming elections reflect a broader strategy to ensure that state Supreme Courts do not become vehicles for what they describe as radical left-wing policies. As the 2024 elections approach, the battle over the judiciary is likely to intensify, with both sides recognizing the critical role these courts play in shaping the nation’s legal and political future.