DNC announces six-figure investment in PA Supreme Court retention elections

The Democratic National Committee announced Thursday that it will be investing six figures into the Pennsylvania Democratic Party to support efforts to retain the three justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court who are up for retention in this November’s election. 

The investment will support the state Democratic Party’s on-the-ground voter contact efforts to convince voters to retain Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht for additional 10-year terms on the state’s highest court. The DNC highlighted the gravity of the looming retention elections, noting that the state Supreme Court could decide on issues ranging from access to abortion to voting rights to congressional redistricting.

“The stakes couldn’t be higher in these judicial retention races, especially in the run-up to winning back the White House in 2028,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. “The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is on the front lines of decisions related to voting rights, redistricting, abortion protections, and more. The DNC is all hands on deck to win elections everywhere – none more important than in Pennsylvania in November.”

The influx of funding from the DNC will help free up money for direct mail and other paid programming, and will also support volunteer organizing efforts.

The DNC news follows another recent investment from national Democrats into Pennsylvania’s 2025 judicial contests. 

Last week, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee announced it will spend six figures to encourage voters to retain the three justices. In retention elections, voters have the option to vote “yes” or “no” on whether to retain each judge for an additional 10 years. No political party or affiliation is listed on the ballot. 

All three of the justices up for retention were elected as Democrats in 2015, when they swept elections for three open seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Donohue, Dougherty and Wecht recently made their case for retention during a fireside chat in Philadelphia, where they discussed partisanship in the courts and the court’s day-to-day operations.

The Pennsylvania Bar Association has recommended all three justices for retention. 

Republicans are also heavily invested in the race. The Republican State Leadership Committee has spent at least $85,000 on digital ads through Meta and Google asking voters to vote “No in November” on Donohue, Dougherty and Wecht, according to a report from Spotlight PA. 

The investigative outlet also reported that the conservative political group Commonwealth Partners, which has ties to GOP megadonor Jeffrey Yass, has funded social media ads, political mailers and text messages in opposition to retaining Donohue, Dougherty and Wecht.