ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we examine the strategies of challengers and the choices of voters to answer two vitally important questions about elections to the states’ highest courts: (1) does the quality of challengers have a significant impact on the electoral performance of incumbents, and (2) does money dictate electoral outcomes? With the first question, we seek to understand whether voters appear to have the capacity to distinguish challengers who have experience on the bench from challengers who lack it and thus are less suitable alternatives to incumbents. Stated differently, we evaluate whether the electorate seemingly has the ability to make candidate-based evaluations. With the second question, we address the highly controversial issue of big-money politics and whether state supreme court seats appear to be “for sale.” With both questions, we focus on factors that determine the electoral performance of incumbents seeking reelection to state supreme courts.
