Snyder’s Supreme Court appointment will set the tone for the 2013 legislative session

As I anticipated (rather testily) last month, Democrats are losing a voice on the Michigan state Supreme Court. Thanks to the unethical behavior of Diane Hathaway, whose name will now forever be associated with the betrayal of Democrats and Michigan citizens in general, we went from a 4-3 Republican-to-Democrat ratio to what will be a 5-2 balance once Governor Rick Snyder makes his appointment.

This has many people across the state wondering what Snyder will do with this opportunity.

On the one hand, he could continue his recent trend of appeasing the far right conservatives in his party, cementing the partisan divide that has so intensely polarized our state and that has created warring factions who despise each other.

On the other hand, he could choose a more moderate candidate who is more palatable to Democrats in Michigan. By doing this, the Governor could begin to repair some of the damage that was done when he chose to force Right to Work legislation through during the inflamed duck session and the animosity he created by passing laws that hinder women’s access to legal abortion services in our state.

My analysis after the jump.

The desperation is palpable

An out-of-state group known as the “Judicial Crisis Network” is spending $1 million in Michigan to attack Supreme Court front-runner Bridget McCormack. After you read my interview with her HERE, you’ll quickly realize that she’s a candidate perfectly suited for the Supreme Court. The now-viral West Wing ad released by her campaign gave her name recognition not usually seen with candidates for the bench. As I said in my interview, she’s the real deal, running a real campaign and she’s going to win.

However, that’s only true if we get out the vote for her, along with Connie Marie Kelley (interview HERE) and Shelia Johnson (interview HERE.) The most recent Detroit Free Press poll shows that an astonishing 75% or more of Michigan voters are undecided in the Supreme Court races (one partial term where Johnson is the candidate and two full-term seats where Kelley and McCormack are on the ballot.)

We simply must spread the word on these three incredible women. We must tell our friends, our coworkers, our family — anyone who will listen — that these three women represent the best choice for Michigan’s future.

More after the jump.

We need to educate our friends, relatives and coworkers!

The Detroit Free Press released an astonishing poll recently that showed that in the two Supreme Court races, one for a partial term and one with two seats open for full terms, more than 75% of voters are undecided. Three-quarters of the voters don’t know who to vote for. Of course, Eclectablog readers know:

• Bridget Mary McCormack (interview)
• Connie Marie Kelley (interview)
• Shelia Johnson (interview)

Now it’s time to share this information with as many Michiganders as you can. An easy way of doing that, of course, is to print out the Eclectablog Voters Guide (pdf) and hand it out widely.

As your reward, I present you with the the bloopers and outtakes from Bridget McCormack’s massively viral West Wing public service announcement (after the jump.)

Another superb candidate for the State Supreme Court in Michigan

Connie Marie Kelley is currently a judge in the Wayne County Circuit Court. She was endorsed and nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party for the Michigan Supreme Court along with Bridget Mary McCormack (interview HERE) and Shelia Johnson (interview HERE.)

Like the other two MDP-endorsed candidates for the state’s highest court, Judge Kelley comes from a background that makes her unique suited and qualified to be a state Supreme Court justice. She has spent her career advocating for clients as an attorney and making the justice system more accessible for those who use it as a judge. She has represented a wide variety of clients including victims of domestic violence, those who have experienced discrimination, and workers who have been treated unfairly by their employers. In her personal life, she has seen the impact that drug abuse can have on families and has used that experience to help young people find other paths, serving as a mentor and teacher to young people from urban areas.

The full interview is after the jump.