Democrats Spend Millions on 4 State Court Races Ahead of 2030 Redistricting
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Nov 1
Democrats Spend Millions on 4 State Court Races Ahead of 2030 Redistricting
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Nov 1
Summary
Millions of dollars from liberal groups are flowing into four battleground state supreme court contests before Tuesday’s elections, aiming to shape courts that could later rule on congressional and legislative maps.
North Carolina and Ohio are the central targets because this year’s races on Republican-majority courts could help position Democrats to flip those benches in 2028.
Michigan and Montana are also drawing national money to protect a liberal majority and contest an open seat, with Montana voters separately deciding whether judicial elections stay nonpartisan.
State supreme court races have become national political fights because justices now decide major cases on abortion, election rules and redistricting ahead of map battles after the midterms and the 2030 census.
As voters decide whether to remove party labels from judicial ballots, will this move actually protect high courts from outside influence?
$157 Million Battleground: How Record Spending and Partisan Warfare Are Transforming State Supreme Court Elections and Redistricting Power in 2026
Overview
State supreme courts have become the main battlegrounds for national political power, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that federal courts cannot decide partisan gerrymandering cases. This shifted redistricting fights to state courts, where recent conservative victories—like in North Carolina—led to overturned anti-gerrymandering rulings and new congressional maps favoring Republicans. Meanwhile, groups like the ACLU are pouring millions into key state judicial races in Michigan, Montana, and North Carolina to influence future decisions. As legislatures try to change how judges are elected, the struggle over court control now directly shapes congressional representation and the rules of democracy itself.