All three Republican incumbents on the Texas Supreme Court secured their seats in the recent election, dealing a blow to Democrats who were hoping to gain a victory on the high court for the first time in 30 years. Justices John Devine, Jane Bland, and Jimmy Blacklock emerged victorious, ensuring Republican dominance on the court until 2026.
In previous election cycles, Democrats had not even fielded candidates in races for the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court. However, the landscape changed in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, shifting the focus on abortion access to state legislatures and courts. This led to the Texas Supreme Court issuing two significant rulings on abortion, prompting the formation of a new Democratic political action committee called Find Out PAC.
The Find Out PAC adopted a strategy called the “Jimmy, John, and Jane” approach and launched statewide commercials criticizing Blacklock, Devine, and Bland for their stances on abortion. These ads featured testimonials from Texas women who were denied access to abortion services. Despite the dissatisfaction among Texas voters with the state’s strict abortion laws, many were unaware of the Texas Supreme Court’s role in shaping these laws.
The six candidates collectively poured over $2.1 million into their campaigns, with significant contributions coming in the month leading up to early voting. Blacklock outspent his opponent, Harris County District Court Judge DaSean Jones, by a large margin, while Bland also invested heavily in her campaign against challenger Bonnie Lee Goldstein. Devine, the most vulnerable of the Republican incumbents, faced scrutiny for various issues, including missing oral arguments and ethics concerns related to his oversight of a trust.
Bland, appointed to the court by Governor Greg Abbott in 2019, has a strong track record of electoral success, while Blacklock has a background in defending abortion restrictions during his tenure at the Office of the Attorney General and the Governor’s Office. Devine, a prominent figure in Texas’ conservative Christian legal circles, has faced criticism for his controversial statements and ethical lapses.
Despite the efforts of Democrats and advocacy groups to unseat the Republican incumbents, the Texas Supreme Court will remain in GOP control for the foreseeable future. The outcome of this election underscores the challenges faced by opposition parties in conservative strongholds like Texas, where issues like abortion continue to shape the political landscape.
