Montana Supreme Court Election Most Expensive on Record

The NY Times reports on the "most expensive judicial race on record in Montana."  According to the Times, "conservative groups have spent about $640,000 — $469,000 by a political action committee financed by the Republican State Leadership Committee and $170,000 by Americans for Prosperity".  "In response, a political action committee financed largely by Montana trial lawyers and unions has spent $475,000."

The big picture: "Corporate interests, who say they are trying to preserve jobs and create growth, and trial lawyers, who say they represent the voiceless against the wealthy and powerful, have long gone head to head in judicial elections."

Big Money Democrats Fund Republican Candidates for Texas Supreme Court

According to Patricia Kilday Hart in the Houston Chronicle plaintiffs' trial lawyers are "raising campaign cash for a slate of Republican primary challengers to incumbent Texas Supreme Court justices, drawing largely on traditional Democratic donors."  Why would these big money Democrats fund Republicans?  "[S]ince 1994, no Democrat has been elected statewide in Texas."

The primary challengers and incumbents are: former Rep. Robert Talton vs. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht; lawyer Joe Pool Jr. vs. Justice Jeff Brown; and Appeals Judge Sharon McCally, who is challenging Justice Phil Johnson.

Patricia Kilday Hart in The Houston Chronicle reports: "Gov. Rick Perry sent an email this week supporting Hecht, Brown and Johnson, whom he appointed to positions on the court. He warned that 'liberal personal injury trial attorneys ... want to buy judges who would return Texas to the bad old days of Jackpot justice - huge and senseless jury verdicts that will bankrupt companies, take away jobs and ruin our economy.'"