Illinois Supreme Court majority hangs in balance for Nov. election

Welcome to a particular Tuesday version of Path Combine, our column masking all issues Illinois and Chicago politics.

What’s occurring: It is uncommon to see so many assault advertisements for the Illinois Supreme Court docket race.

• This yr, it is as a result of the court docket’s majority hangs within the steadiness.

Why it issues: With two seats up for election, the state GOP may wrest away the Democratic majority. That would imply large points like reproductive rights could possibly be reviewed.

State of play: The court docket, which has seven justices serving 10-year phrases, at the moment has a 4-3 Democratic majority.

• Illinois is one in every of solely eight states that elect state Supreme Court docket justices.
• The Illinois GOP has not held majority management of the court docket since 1969.

The newest: Republican Supreme Court docket Justice Michael Burke was appointed in 2020 after the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, making this his first election.

• Appellate Court docket Justice Mary Kay O’Brien, a Democrat, is difficult.

Zoom in: O’Brien is utilizing advertisements to assault Burke over abortion rights, however Burke’s camp needs a retraction as a result of he hasn’t publicly acknowledged a place.

• Within the different race, former Lake County Sheriff Michael Curran (GOP) and Lake County Circuit Court docket Choose Elizabeth Rochford (Democrat) are vying for the seat vacated by Justice Tom Kilbride, who was not retained by voters in 2020.

The intrigue: Republicans are going again to the Madigan playbook, accusing Rochford (and O’Brien) of being a part of the corrupt Mike Madigan machine, despite the fact that Madigan hasn’t been in workplace since early 2021.

• It is very uncommon to see political advertisements attacking candidates collectively from separate races, however it’s occurring on either side.

Of observe: Chief Justice Anne Burke (Democrat and spouse to Ald. Ed Burke) is retiring this yr, however her seat is not up for re-election. It is up in 2024. She shall be succeeded by Appellate Court docket Justice Pleasure V. Cunningham.