Supreme Court appointments are for life, which means that, on a narrowly divided court like we’ve seen in recent years, one justice can shape American law for decades. Justice Antonin Scalia’s death has provided a powerful reminder of all the crucial issues that stand to be decided by his replacement and by the replacements for other justices who are likely to retire in the next few years. But we don’t just need a president who will nominate strong liberal justices. We need a Senate that will confirm them. That means going all in, and that’s what Daily Kos is doing.
We’re scrapping our usual questionnaire and backing a wide range of Senate candidates, because the Supreme Court is just that important. David Nir reminds us of the stakes:
The scope of possible topics the court could rule on in just the next few years is breathtaking. Almost every major issue is on the table: Reproductive rights, climate change, redistricting, affirmative action, voting rights, policing, campaign finance, capital punishment, immigration—there's no end to this list. Five liberal justices could protect the rights of the vulnerable, safeguard the environment, and even strengthen our democracy itself in ways so far-reaching that progressives have scarcely dared to imagine them. That makes this vacancy the campaign issue of 2016.
So far, we’ve endorsed Democrats in four races key to helping us retake the Senate, with more to follow as potentially competitive states hold their primaries.
- Russ Feingold in Wisconsin
- Ann Kirkpatrick in Arizona
- Jason Kander in Missouri
- Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire
These Democrats are going after Republican-held seats. Winning these races and other competitive Senate races this November is the path to reshaping America for the better. Let’s do this.
Please donate $3 today to help turn the Senate blue. The future of the Supreme Court depends on it.