When you think of Republican officeholders who understand the importance of judges and policy, the first names that pop to mind are Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. They indeed put great effort into populating the bench with conservatives.
But Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona was implementing a comprehensive judicial strategy before the Trump-McConnell duo worked their magic. Given the potential of judges to make mischief with their decisions, Republican governors across the country would do well to emulate what Ducey has done over eight years.
For years, the Arizona judiciary was a mish-mash. No governor put much energy into identifying judges with a coherent judicial philosophy. By the time Gov. Ducey took office, this had resultedin a State Supreme Court with a decidedly liberal bent.
Read Full Article »