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,...