Monday the Supreme Court convened for its 2024-2025 term, and the list of granted cases shows we’re in for another nine months of white-knuckling our fundamental rights and common-sense regulations. Issues on the docket include:
- “Ghost guns” and their regulation under the 1968 Gun Control Act
- Bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth
- The death penalty’s legality when prosecutors falsify evidence
- The EPA’s ability to regulate water pollution under the Clean Water Act
And those are just the cases the Court has announced it will hear. Lurking unsaid is if and when it will be called on to litigate challenges to the 2024 election.
The Court convenes the week after a raft of late-September polls show US Senate races tightening in two key states, Wisconsin and Michigan—a stark reminder that losing the Senate means losing any ability we have left to protect our rights and our democracy at the nation’s highest Court.
A quick update on these four races:
- Wisconsin: A poll released last week shows Sen. Tammy Baldwin up only 2 points over challenger Eric Hovde, after months of polling safely outside the margin of error.
- Michigan: The same poll has Michigan tied. Rep. Elissa Slotkin is being hit hard right now by negative attacks over her support for electric vehicles.
- Florida: Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is making gains on Sen. Rick Scott, but those could vanish once his new $10 million ad buy hits the airwaves.
- Maryland: Republicans are preparing to create a scandal out of recent news that Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks made errors on her property tax bill.
In Nevada, the polls show Sen. Jacky Rosen pulling away from her opponent—sometimes by as much as double digits—so support for her is not as urgent. We’ll let you know if that changes.