What happened in Texas recently, John, shows how important our fight for progressive judges is. 

Quick background: When the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision revoked the federal constitutional right to abortion last year, it kicked the question of abortion to the states to regulate. A tidal wave of states enacted abortion bans, including Texas.

Recently a Texas woman went to court in Travis County (basically Austin and its suburbs), requesting an abortion because her fetus was diagnosed with a fatal condition (trisomy-18). A Democratic judge ruled in her favor to allow the procedure to go through without penalty because the procedure was necessary to protect the plaintiff from a potentially dangerous birth, and to preserve her future fertility.

Enter the Texas Supreme Court and state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Each justice was a Republican appointed by current governor Greg Abbott or his predecessor Rick Perry. Ken Paxton is a leading MAGA figure who was recently impeached on 16 counts by the Republican held Texas House but saved by just a few acquittal votes in the Texas Senate. This Republican old-boys club held up the lower court's ruling while they reviewed it before ultimately overturning it. 

Meanwhile, the plaintiff's life was at risk while she was stuck in limbo before she finally left the state to get the procedure done. Countless other women in Texas and across the country are in the same situation, being forced to carry unwanted pregnancies with potentially damaging health repercussions. All against the wishes of the majority in this country and in service of a partisan religious agenda.

John: We have to do the work in Texas and beyond to support progressive judicial candidates -- literal lives are at stake. Chip in $25 or whatever you can right today break the GOP's hold on our courts and restore our rights >>>

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We NEED more progressives on the courts. Here's how:

➜ In 26 states -- including Florida, California, and Maine -- State Supreme Court justices are appointed. It's crucial that Democrats win and control governorships in these states to ensure progressive judges are nominated.

➜ In 22 states, like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, judges run in elections. We have to support progressive judicial candidates across the board to end the GOP domination of our state courts.

➜ We also need to pour resources into state legislatures who choose justices (like Virginia and South Carolina) or approve the judges nominated by the governors.

With your help, we can fuel our work on the ground to win state court seats and control state legislatures. Pitch in $25 or more to help progressives and Democrats win >>>

In the wake of Donald Trump's presidency, we've seen hard-right judges stacked on the Supreme Court, federal courts, and state courts across the country, delivering devastating rulings that have weakened voting rights, gun reforms, climate protections, and completely overturned abortion rights.

We must fight back and put more Democrats on the courts.

The Senate is the only body which can confirm federal judges and as such, Democratic control of the Senate is crucial to shaping judicial appointments. We must ensure the Senate stays in Democratic hands in 2024.

And in the states, we must pour resources into often highly contested judicial races that get little attention, but that have a wide influence on the daily lives of Americans.

Progress Courts PAC is working every day to hold the Senate and help elect progressive judges across the country, and we need your help.

Please consider making a donation today to help by clicking here!