Gov. Josh Shapiro weighs in on Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention races

Benjamin Kail, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Oct 7, 2025

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Gov. Josh Shapiro is urging Pennsylvanians to vote in favor of keeping three Democratic state Supreme Court justices on the bench in an upcoming municipal election that's seen an unprecedented influx of spending and activity in recent months.

Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin M. Dougherty and David N. Wecht face "retention" elections on Nov. 4, when voters will be asked whether each should be retained for another 10-year term.

With Democrats currently holding a 5-2 majority and potential ramifications on a host of issues from abortion rights, redistricting and mail-in voting to the 2028 elections, the state Supreme Court campaign has heated up with a mix of advertising and grassroots efforts.

As both parties have entered the fray with fundraising, Shapiro on Tuesday launched a new ad supporting the Democrats.

"Here in Pennsylvania, the threats to our freedoms are very real," Shapiro says in the ad, which will run on the airwaves in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia starting Tuesday and online later in the week. "That's why we need to keep our state Supreme Court standing up for what's right."

The video ad, which encourages a "yes" vote for the justices, comes as Shapiro is up for re-election next year, but he has not announced a widely-expected bid.

Seen as one of several Democrats who may seek the White House in 2028, Shapiro has been assembling a campaign team, which recently made a $250,000 investment in the Pennsylvania Democratic Party "in order to build up the infrastructure needed to win races in 2025, 2026, and beyond," according to a statement shared with the Post-Gazette.

Shapiro said Justices Donohue, Dougherty and Wecht have "proven we can count on them to protect a woman's access to abortion and birth control — and stand up for all our freedoms."

Douglas Keith, deputy director for judiciary program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, said recently that "candidates and outside groups have already raised and spent more than $8 million in this year's race, making it Pennsylvania's most expensive retention election ever."

A recent "NO in November" ad on Google seeking an end to the sitting justices' terms was part of $118,000 to $135,000 in ad spending by the Republican State Leadership Committee's Judicial Fairness Initiative.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee plans a "six-figure" spend on the retention races, and the ACLU and ACLU of Pennsylvania say they'll pump $500,000 into an effort to educate voters on the "pivotal" Supreme Court retention elections.

The Pennsylvania Bar Association recently endorsed all the justices for retention, saying "our courts are fair and independent."

While Shapiro is engaging in the court races before announcing his own run for re-election, Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity launched a bid for governor last month. She has begun campaigning across the state, including a recent stop near Pittsburgh, emphasizing what she's described as business-friendly policies that could help struggling families.

Garrity, a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel and businesswoman from Bradford County, has criticized Shapiro as he and lawmakers negotiate the state budget three months past its constitutional due date. She also has accused the governor of focusing on a potential presidential run instead of Pennsylvania.

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—Post-Gazette reporter Ford Turner contributed to this report.