Republicans could be on the verge of winning control of the Illinois Supreme Court, where Democrats hold a 4-3 majority. Two seats are up for election in November, prompting groups to concentrate attention and money on the judicial campaigns.
Abortion-rights protesters attend a rally following the United States Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the federally protected right to abortion, outside the state capitol in Lansing, Mich., Friday, June 24, 2022.
The same scene is playing out in other states with contentious high court races on the ballot this year. After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe, state judicial races have become even more important for Democratic groups working to protect abortion rights. “Now with Roe v. Wade being overturned, women’s freedom to choose in Illinois is at risk,” a recently launched ad for O’Brien says.
“We were already planning to be involved in these states, but Dobbs has heightened our interest and heightened our sense of purpose and sense of mission on it," said Jake Faleschini, the group's legal director for state courts, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court decision. Abortion rights groups also are closely watching Kansas, where six of the seven Supreme Court justices face a statewide yes-or-no vote to stay on the bench for another six years.
The Republican State Leadership Committee said it plans to spend more than $5 million — a record amount for the group — on supreme court races in Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio. Spokesman Andrew Romeo said the group's focus is on redistricting.