LANCASTER (AP) — Democrats and their allied groups are pouring in more money, cutting a fresh television ad with Gov. Josh Shapiro and sending in the national party chairman in the final week of campaigning for a Pennsylvania Supreme Court election, possible signs of concern for a race that could reshape the highest court in the largest presidential battleground.

Spending in the race is on track to exceed $15 million — far surpassing previous spending in what’s called a retention election — as Democrats try to blunt a late-emerging Republican campaign to oust three Democratic justices.

kAm%96 @FE4@>6 H:== 92G6 4@?D6BF6?46D 7@C ?6IE J62CVD >:5E6C> 6=64E:@?[ E96 a_ag AC6D:56?E:2= C246 2?5 E96 ?6IE 564256VD 4@?8C6DD:@?2= C65:DEC:4E:?8] %96 ?2E:@?VD >@DE A@AF=@FD DH:?8 DE2E6 92D 2 A@=:E:42==J 5:G:565 8@G6C?>6?E E92E 92D =67E 5:DAFE6D @G6C 6=64E:@? =2HD 2?5 @E96C >2;@C :DDF6D E@ E96 4@FCED 😕 C646?E J62CD]k^Am

kAmpE :DDF6 😕 %F6D52JVD 6=64E:@? 😀 H96E96C E96 E9C66 ;FDE:46D H:== 6249 D6CG6 2?@E96C E6C>[ FA E@ `_ J62CD] %96J 5@?VE 7246 @AA@?6?ED 2?5 2C6 ?@E =:DE65 3J A2CEJ 277:=:2E:@?] %96 32==@E >6C6=J 2D

kAm#6E6?E:@? 6=64E:@?D 2C6 DFAA@D65 E@ 36 ?@?A2CE:D2?[ 3FE r9C:DE:?6 s@?@9F6[ @?6 @7 E96 ;FDE:46D CF??:?8 E@ C6>2:? E96 36?49[ D2:5 D96VD “D9@4<65 2E E96 A2CE:D2? ?2EFC6” @7 E96 6=64E:@?]k^Am

kAm“%9:D 😀 6IEC2@C5:?2C:=J F?FDF2=[” s@?@9F6 D2:5 😕 2? :?E6CG:6H @? (65?6D52J] “x DFAA@D6 E92E’D 2 D:8? @7 E96 E:>6D[ E9@F89]”k^Am

kAm%96 !6??DJ=G2?:2 $FAC6>6 r@FCE 92D 2 d\a s6>@4C2E:4 >2;@C:EJ[ D@ 2? 24C@DD\E96\3@2C5 =@DD 7@C s6>@4C2ED 😕 %F6D52JVD 6=64E:@? 4@F=5 AC@5F46 2 a\a :56@=@8:42= DA=:E 7@C EH@ J62CD] !@=:E:42= DE2=6>2E6 4@F=5 =:<6=J AC6G6?E E96:C D62ED 7C@> 36:?8 7:==65 F?E:= E96 ?6IE ;F5:4:2= 6=64E:@? 😕 a_af[ A@E6?E:2==J =62G:?8 E96 4@FCE F?23=6 E@ 564:56 G@E:?8 @C 6=64E:@?\C6=2E65 42D6D E9C@F89 ?6IE J62CVD >:5E6C> 6=64E:@?D]k^Am

kAm“xE 4@F=5 =625 E@ 492@D[” s@?@9F6 D2:5]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 E96 DA6?5:?8 😀 72C 36=@H E96 >@C6 E92? S`__ >:==:@? DA6?E @? 2 DE2E6 $FAC6>6 r@FCE 6=64E:@? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^H:D4@?D:?\DFAC6>6\4@FCE\6=@?\>FD<\ECF>A\a226ac_74h75_3`5hhe3f22eccbhf72`Qm:? (:D4@?D:?k^2m 62C=:6C E9:D J62C[ :E 9:89=:89ED k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^DE2E6\DFAC6>6\4@FCED\23@CE:@?\C65:DEC:4E:?8\a_ac\hb`2cdb`b`724agag`d26b`3c7_62af`Qm9@H :>A@CE2?Ek^2m E96D6 C246D 92G6 364@>6 7@C 3@E9 A2CE:6D 3642FD6 @7 E96 C@=6 DE2E6 4@FCED A=2J 😕 564:5:?8 C65:DEC:4E:?8 5:DAFE6D[ =2HDF:ED @G6C G@E:?8 2?5 6=64E:@?D[ 2?5 D6EE:?8 A@=:4J @? 9@E\3FEE@? :DDF6D DF49 2D 23@CE:@?]k^Am

kAms@?@9F6 2?5 E96 @E96C ;FDE:46D FA 7@C C6E6?E:@?[ z6G:? s@F896CEJ 2?5 s2G:5 (649E[ H6C6 DA6?5:?8 E96:C 7:?2= 52JD @7 E96 42>A2:8? 2EE6?5:?8 s6>@4C2E:4 !2CEJ C2==:6D 2?5 86E\@FE\E96\G@E6 677@CED] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^56>@4C2E:4\?2E:@?2=\4@>>:EE66\5?4\492:C\>2CE:?\H:<=6C\744aah5he`h22hb7g7gdfc3_7246cbbcQmz6? |2CE:?k^2m[ E96 s6>@4C2E:4 }2E:@?2= r@>>:EE66 492:C>2?[ EC2G6=65 24C@DD !6??DJ=G2?:2 E@ 9625=:?6 6G6?ED @? (65?6D52J 2?5 %9FCD52J]k^Am

kAmpE 2 {2?42DE6C r@F?EJ s6>@4C2E:4 !2CEJ >66E:?8 (65?6D52J 6G6?:?8[ |2CE:? E@=5 2 4@FA=6 9F?5C65 A6@A=6 E92E #6AF3=:42?D H6C6 ECJ:?8 E@ DE62= A@H6C 3J 3FJ:?8 4@FCE D62ED D@ E96J 42? 6?24E C:89E\H:?8 A@=:4J E9C@F89 E96 4@FCED]k^Am

kAm“%9:D :D?’E ;FDE 23@FE !6??DJ=G2?:2[” |2CE:? E@=5 E96 4C@H5] “q642FD6 :7 E96J H:? 96C6[ J@F 42? 36E J@FC 3@EE@> 5@==2C E96J 3C:?8 E9:D 😕 6G6CJ D:?8=6 DE2E6 2C@F?5 E96 4@F?ECJ] ]]] %9:D 😀 23@FE @FC 56>@4C24J]”k^Am

kAms6>@4C2ED 2?5 E96:C 2==:6D H6C6 @? 4@FCD6 E@ @FEDA6?5 #6AF3=:42?D 3J 2 C2E:@ @7 2D >F49 2D c\E@\` 27E6C 2 3=:EK @7 %’ 25D 😕 E96 7:?2= H66>6C4:2=D]k^Am

kAm%96 %’ 25D DFAA@CE:?8 E96 ;FDE:46D A@CEC2J E96> 2D 5676?56CD @7 23@CE:@? C:89ED[ F?:@? C:89ED 2?5 G@E:?8 C:89ED] q24<:?8 E96> 2C6 =23@C F?:@?D[ EC:2= =2HJ6CD 2?5 !=2??65 !2C6?E9@@5VD A@=:E:42= 2C>]k^Am

Story continues below video

kAm(9:=6 ?@E 2== DA6?5:?8 @C 7:?2?4:2= D@FC46D 92G6 366? 5:D4=@D65 AF3=:4=J[ 8C@FAD =:?<65 E@ 2 ?6EH@C< E92E EJA:42==J DA6?5D 42>A2:8? 4@?EC:3FE:@?D 7C@> !6??DJ=G2?:2VD C:496DE >2?[ D64FC:E:6D 3:==:@?2:C6 y677C6J *2DD[ D@ 72C 92D DA6?E 23@FE Sa >:==:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 7:8FC6D 7C@> p5x>A24E[ H9:49 EC24

kAms6>@4C2ED 2?5 E96:C 2==:6D C6A@CE65 DA6?5:?8 >@C6 E92? Sf >:==:@? 😕 ~4E@36C] %96 pr{& 2?5 !=2??65 !2C6?E9@@5 2C6 2>@?8 =67E\=62?:?8 8C@FAD E92E 92G6 :?4C62D65 E96:C DA6?5:?8 =2E6 😕 E96 C246 2D s6>@4C2ED D66< E@ 4@F?E6C 2 H2G6 @7 #6AF3=:42?\2=:8?65 %’ 25D 2?5 7=J6CD E92E =2F?4965 😕 $6AE6>36C[ ;FDE 367@C6 G@E6CD 3682? 42DE:?8 >2:= 32==@ED]k^Am

kAm%96 3=:EK 4@?46C?65 s6>@4C2ED] {2?42DE6C r@F?EJ s6>@4C2E:4 !2CEJ r92:C>2? %@> ~VqC:6? D2:5 A2CEJ >6>36CD H6C6 😕 “A2?:4 >@56Q 2D E96J H@CC:65 23@FE 9@H E96 A2CEJ H@F=5 C6DA@?5]k^Am

kAm!2CE:4F=2C=J H@CC:D@>6 E@ s6>@4C2ED H2D #6AF3=:42? >6DD28:?8 FC8:?8 s6>@4C2E:4 G@E6CD E@ “E6C> =:>:E” E96 ;FDE:46D 3J G@E:?8 ?@] xE H2D A24<2865 H:E9 H@C5:?8 >62?E E@ 4@?G6J D6?E:>6?ED EJA:42==J 6IAC6DD65 3J s6>@4C2ED[ :?4=F5:?8 “?@ <:?8D” 2?5 “5676?5 56>@4C24J]”k^Am

kAms6>@4C2ED 2=D@ C62=:K65 E92E 2 >2;@C E2D< H2D 65F42E:?8 G@E6CD 23@FE H92E 2 C6E6?E:@? 6=64E:@? :D] ~VqC:6? 2?5 @E96CD D2:5 E96J 2C6 766=:?8 36EE6C 2D 42?G2DD6CD 92G6 96=A65 65F42E6 G@E6CD[ 2?5 s6>@4C2E:4\2=:8?65 7=J6CD 2?5 %’ 25D 92G6 7=@@565 E96 DE2E6]k^Am

kAmx? 2? ~4E@36C %’ 25 CF??:?8 😕 !9:=256=A9:2 2?5 !:EED3FC89[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^;@D9\D92A:C@Qm$92A:C@k^2m E@=5 G:6H6CD E92E E96 ;FDE:46D “92G6 AC@G6? E92E H6 42? 4@F?E @? E96> E@ AC@E64E 2 H@>2?VD 2446DD E@ 23@CE:@? 2?5 3:CE9 4@?EC@=[ 2?5 DE2?5 FA 7@C 2== @FC 7C665@>D]”k^Am

kAms6>@4C2ED D2J E96J 2C6 D2E:D7:65 H:E9 E96:C G@E:?8\3J\>2:= EFC?@FE 😕 E96 H66A2:8? AFD9] ~? $2EFC52J[ !9:=256=A9:2 =23@C =6256CD 2?5 |2J@C r96C6==6 !2C<6C H:== =625 2 92=7\52J >@E@C4256 E9C@F89 E96 4:EJ E@ AC@>@E6 E96 ;FDE:46DV 42>A2:8?D]k^Am

kAm#6AF3=:42?DV >@DE A@E6?E G@:46[ !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A[ 92D ?@E H2565 :?E@ E96 6=64E:@?[ 2=E9@F89 9:D ?2>6 92D @442D:@?2==J 366? :?G@<65] p #6AF3=:42?\2=:8?65 %’ 25 D2JD[ “~? }@G] c[ J@F 42? 96=A !C6D:56?E %CF>A E@ E6C> =:>:E E9C66 H@<6 !6??DJ=G2?:2 $FAC6>6 r@FCE ;FDE:46D]Qk^Am

kAm$E2E6 #6AF3=:42? !2CEJ r92:C>2? vC68 #@E9>2? DF886DE65 E92E 2 “?@” 42>A2:8? 😀 @?=J ?2EFC2=]k^Am

kAm“#6E6?E:@? D9@F=5?’E 36 2FE@>2E:4[Q 96 D2:5] Q~E96CH:D6[ H9J 6G6? 92G6 :En”k^Am

kAm#@E9>2? D2:5 96 5:5?VE @H H96E96C E96 #6AF3=:42? 677@CE H@F=5 DF44665 3FE D2:5 G@E6CD 2=C625J 4J?:42= 23@FE 8@G6C?>6?E 4@F=5 36 >@E:G2E65 E@ G@E6 “?@]” p k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A6??DJ=G2?:2\3F586E\DE2=6>2E6\;@D9\D92A:C@\8@G6C?@C\`634bd5a`2247ea3a3cgdf635hc4`__hQmDE2E6 8@G6C?>6?E 3F586E DE2=6>2E6k^2m 2AAC@249:?8 :ED 7:7E9 >@?E9 2?5 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E D9FE5@H? 4@F=5 AFE G@E6CD 😕 2 >@@5 E@ G@E6 282:?DE 2?J :?4F>36?E]k^Am

kAm“q2D65 @? E96 s6>@4C2E:4 !2CEJ C6DA@?D6[ 2?5 $92A:C@ 4FEE:?8 25D 2?5 2== E96 >@?6J E92E EC:2= =2HJ6CD 2?5 E96 ?2E:@?2= s}r 😀 3C:?8:?8 :?[ E92E E96J >FDE E9:?< H6’C6 @?E@ D@>6E9:?8[” #@E9>2? D2:5]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmu@==@H |2C4 {6GJ @? ) 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^I]4@>^E:>6=JHC:E6CQm9EEADi^^I]4@>^E:>6=JHC:E6Ck^2mk^Am







Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.