Stung by redistricting rulings, Republicans target state court elections

Republicans are vowing to spend record amounts in key state supreme court races this fall, seeking to take advantage of a favorable national political environment to elect conservative judges at the state level amid deep political divisions.

A string of decisions throwing out Republican-drawn congressional maps in Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania has intensified the party's determination to install justices who could give lawmakers fresh opportunities to muscle through more advantageous maps.

"The stakes in this election are going to be as high as the Senate race," said Robert Paduchik, the Republican chair of Ohio, where an open U.S. Senate seat is up for grabs.

There are nearly 90 state supreme court seats on the ballot nationally this year, according to the elections website Ballotpedia, and control of the top courts in Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan and Illinois are all in play.

The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), which supports down-ballot statewide candidates, plans to pour more than $5 million into the most high-profile contests. That would be a record for the group, which is one of dozens of organizations and political action committees likely to spend money on the races.