Missouri Voters Face High-Stakes Judicial Retention Choice
Voters heading to Missouri polling places face a crucial decision on judicial retention.
Scott Faughn addressed the upcoming vote directly. As publisher of The Missouri Times, the Jefferson City News Tribune, the Fulton Sun, and the California Democrat, he argued that single-case dissatisfaction is no reason to dismantle judicial stability.
Parallels to the Battle Over Judge Kelly Broniec
The upcoming vote mirrors past retention battles in the state. Two years ago, critics attempted to unseat Supreme Court Judge Kelly Broniec over a single disputed ruling.
Despite the political friction, the broader electorate pushed back. They secured her retention by over half a million votes.
A Pragmatic Record Aligned with Conservative Leadership
Judge Wilson shares a similar moderate and pragmatic judicial profile. Raised in Jefferson City as the son of a Missouri judge, Wilson graduated first in his class from the University of Missouri Law School.
His professional record remains clean. His voting patterns frequently align with the conservative leader of the court, Judge Zel Fischer from Atchison County.
The Danger of Weaponizing Ballots Over Single Rulings
Faughn cautioned against weaponizing judicial retention ballots over individual rulings.
Though it might feel good, like scratching a July chigger bite, to vote not to retain a judge because he voted alongside five other Republican appointed judges in one case, you know damn good and well scratching that chigger bite will only make things worse.
Guarding State Courtrooms Against Outside Special Interests
Allowing single rulings to dictate retention outcomes would transform every docket into a political referendum. Such a shift risks opening the door to outside interest groups and well-funded national campaigns seeking to influence state courtrooms.
Faughn noted that Judge Wilson has earned his position through intellect, character, and consistency. Consequently, voters should cast ballots to retain him at the polls.
