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The Contrarian: Democratic governors are fighting Trump’s attacks on democracy in the courts

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The Contrarian: Democratic governors are fighting Trump’s attacks on democracy in the courts

DGA’s Meghan Meehan-Draper: “Amid the constant chaos coming out of Washington, D.C., every day, who your governor is has never mattered more.” 

A new op-ed from DGA Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper outlines “a key – but understated way Democratic governors are standing up for the rule of law and constitutional rights,” – by appointing independent judges at the state level.

This week’s Supreme Court election in Wisconsin – a huge win for the rule of law and constitutional rights – brought a national spotlight to the thousands of state-level judges making critical decisions every day about Americans’ rights, the function of government, and more. What many don’t know is that the future of many of those appointments hangs in the balance in 37 races for governor over the next two years, including in New Jersey and Virginia this year, and that the winners of those elections will have the power to make crucial judicial appointments.

In short, as Meehan-Draper says, while Democratic governors stand up for the rule of law and against Trump and Elon Musk’s attacks on our rights and our country’s judicial system, “who your governor is has never mattered more.”

Read more from DGA Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper for the Contrarian:

  • Democratic governors have made thousands of key appointments in their states, quietly reshaping the judiciary system across the country to protect Americans’ fundamental freedoms, including voting rights and reproductive rights.

  • Since Trump took office the first time, Democratic governors have made more than 2,000 judicial appointments. That includes more than 1,500 appointments from current sitting Democratic governors during their terms.

  • Since he was elected, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed 576 judges—more than any other sitting governor of either party.

  • In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly, who also serves as the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, has made several crucial appointments to bring balance back to the state’s courts, which has led to key rulings to protect voting rights and reproductive rights for Kansans.

  • In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz has made 146 appointments to various Minnesota state courts, including five state Supreme Court justices, 11 appellate judges, and 130 other local appointments.

  • Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has made several judicial appointments to various courts since taking office in 2023—especially important in Arizona, where MAGA Republicans have a record of trying to undermine free and fair elections. Just recently, an court permanently blockedattempts at enforcing an extreme abortion ban after it was declared unconstitutional by the justices.

  • That includes the key races in Virginia and New Jersey this year, where extreme Republicans have shown no sign of slowing down attacks on freedoms and have promised to bring Trump’s unpopular agenda to their states.

  • Last year, the DGA launched an initiative to highlight this responsibility, the Power to Appoint Fund, a dedicated, no-overhead fund with a mission to uplift this important power. We’ve been raising awareness and ringing alarm bells about this crucial responsibility, serving as another reminder of just how important electing Democratic governors is.

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