Exclusive: GOP Group Fights Obama-Era Allies in Judicial Campaigns

The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) has unveiled a new initiative to endorse conservative judges in key state supreme court elections, a move seen as a counter to liberal influence on judicial matters.

The campaign aims to challenge former Obama officials' efforts at reshaping the bench, and features substantial advertising expenditures in several states, as the Daily Caller reports.

With the Judicial Fairness Initiative at the helm, the RSLC announced plans to invest millions in advertisements to support conservative judicial candidates. This effort is targeted at upcoming elections in six critical states.

The initiative responds to actions by Eric Holder, former attorney general under Barack Obama, who has been influential in legal strategies involving congressional district remapping through the courts.

The campaign's focus is clear: to maintain an apolitical judiciary that upholds constitutional values without bending to political pressures.

Strategic Battle Over Judicial Ideologies

The targeted states include Arizona, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. These states have been identified as battlegrounds where the ideological leanings of the courts could significantly impact future legal decisions, especially regarding redistricting.

Holder’s National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), along with allies like Planned Parenthood Action Fund, has also been active in these states, pushing for judicial candidates who support abortion rights and transgender issues.

According to the NDRC, the role of state supreme courts is crucial as they have the authority to review and potentially overturn redistricting plans that could impact the political power balance.

Major Ad Campaigns Highlight Judicial Stakes

Last Friday, the RSLC launched a powerful video as part of their advertising campaign. The video message stresses the importance of keeping the courts free from political bias and manipulation.

Dee Duncan, president of RSLC, emphasized the continuous nature of the redistricting battle, noting, "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 this year to prevent liberals backed by millions in dark money from overturning conservative-led benches."

Duncan further asserted the commitment of the Judicial Fairness Initiative to elect judges who would "fight to keep justice blind and prevent Eric Holder and Barack Obama’s handpicked cronies from tipping the balance of power in these critical battleground judicial states in 2024."

Rivals' Perspective on Court's Role in Democracy

The NDRC on its website states that "State Supreme Courts have the power to review and, if necessary, overturn redistricting plans that are unfair or unconstitutional. Having a fair-minded court is vital to upholding democratic principles." Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, also weighed in on the judicial stakes, describing the courts as "the front lines" in the battle for reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.

Johnson warned of the consequences of an imbalanced judiciary: "Opponents of abortion access, LGBTQ+ equality, and democracy itself are tilting the scales of justice by stacking courts that will carry out their destructive agendas. If this continues, we will surely see more devastating decisions upholding abortion bans, limiting care like IVF, and denying transgender people their dignity. We cannot afford to lose the fight for fair, unbiased courts."

RSLC Ad Stresses Urgency in Judicial Fights

The RSLC's advertising narrative frames the current judicial conflicts as a "battle for our future." The narrator in the ad asserts, "America’s courts are under siege, radical liberals led by Barack Obama and Eric Holder are weaponizing the rule of law, redrawing maps, tipping the scales, and forcing through their agenda."

This campaign reflects not just a strategic effort in judicial elections but also a broader ideological struggle over the role and influence of the judiciary in American politics. The RSLC's approach to the 2024 judicial elections could potentially reshape the landscape of state supreme courts and influence key decisions on issues like redistricting, abortion rights, and transgender rights.