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This isn't about cherry-picking good news or ignoring bad news. Rather, it's about calling attention to important developments that simply aren't getting as much play as they ought to. So here are some key results you may not have learned about yet:
•Pennsylvania: In what was by far the most important victory of the night, Democrats swept three seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, giving them a five-to-two majority; previously, Republicans had controlled the bench three-to-two, with two vacancies. This victory isn't simply about ensuring a more just court, though undoubtedly the cause of fairness will benefit greatly. It will also have an enormous impact on the next round of legislative redistricting.
That's because the Supreme Court selects the tiebreaking vote for the commission that draws up the maps for Pennsylvania's state House and Senate. In the prior two rounds of redistricting, the Republican-dominated court chose the tiebreaker, but now Democrats will have that power come 2021 (justices are elected to 10-year terms). As a result, Democrats will have the chance to undo the Republican gerrymanders that have given the GOP a lock on both houses of the legislature. It'll give Team Blue an excellent shot at retaking both chambers, which means real progressive change will be able to move forward. And if Democrats can win the legislature, it also means that future congressional redistricting will be in their hands, too—though we'd likely have to wait until 2031 for that!
Head below the fold for more good news from around the country.
