Originally Posted by
Lainey
The change in the last decade or two has been thanks to the Koch Brothers and friends taking a long-term strategy and investing in these judges campaigns, starting with state judges who need to run for election (vs. in states where they are appointed). That used to be a sleepy election but now the most conservative candidate can count on campaign money that a more moderate or progressive candidate will not get. The state judges get tapped for the federal bench, and Supreme court candidates normally come from there. The Kochs and their ilk have played the long game and that, along with their hundreds of millions of dollars, has proved wildly successful.