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Heated exchange in House Judiciary over SB 42 to allow partisan judicial endorsements
Summary
SB 42 would let judicial candidates display party affiliation and accept party endorsements; supporters said party labels give voters useful information, while opponents — including the State Bar, judicial associations and many civic groups — warned it would politicize the bench and discourage qualified candidates.
House Judiciary heard hours of sharply contested testimony on Senate Bill 42, which would permit partisan nomination and party endorsements for judicial candidates. Senator Daniel Emmerich, the sponsor, said the bill would make judicial elections more transparent and give voters an additional, readily available cue about candidates' values and judicial philosophy.
Supporters included Lieutenant Governor Kristin Juras and advocacy groups such as the Montana Family Foundation and Americans for Prosperity.…
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