Michigan political parties meet to nominate candidates in competitive Supreme Court races

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Both major political parties are gathering Saturday in Michigan to choose nominees for the state Supreme Court, setting up campaigns for two available seats with majority control of the tribunal at stake.

One candidate in the running for Republicans’ backing is attorney Matthew DePerno, who rose to prominence after repeating false claims about the 2020 election and faces felony charges of trying to illegally access and tamper with voting machines.

Supreme Court races in Michigan are officially nonpartisan — meaning candidates appear without a party label on the ballot — but the nominees are chosen by party convention.

Democratic-backed justices currently hold a 4-3 majority. Republican victories in both races would flip control of the court, while two Democratic wins would yield a 5-2 supermajority.

Republicans have framed the races as a fight to stop government overreach, while Democrats say it’s a battle to preserve reproductive rights. Michiganders enshrined the right to abortion in the state in 2022.

Republican delegates gathered in Flint have a choice between DePerno, Detroit Attorney Alexandria Taylor and Circuit Court Judge Patrick O’Grady for the seat currently held by Justice Kyra Harris Bolden.

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