Millions of Americans will go to the polls in November. Millions will miss one ballot section. Judges.

We need judges. In his short tenure in office, President Biden has already nominated 141 individuals to federal judgeships; so far only 81 have been confirmed. His nominees have included public defenders, civil rights attorneys and people from underrepresented communities. The focus is uncharacteristic compared to prior democratic administrations; it matches the urgency. 

Over the past decade, Republican politicians have been playing a long game in the courts by denying Obama’s appointees and then rushing Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the bench. Republicans have enlisted these trusted soldiers in the grim mission to reshape our justice system into a partisan tool with the power and mandate to reverse our American tradition of individual freedoms in favor of big government control over every aspect of our lives.  

Our right to access a clinical abortion nationally has been defeated. Our right to learn about accurate American history has been defeated. Our right to speak about gay rights in schools has been stripped. And this is only the beginning. As Justice Clarence Thomas keenly identified, our livelihood is on the line. Interracial marriage, gay marriage, and access to birth control are issues that the partisan courts can decide. 

For a vast majority of Americans across the political spectrum, most of us have been shocked at how quickly we lost so many of our human rights. The court’s decisions have been followed by protests only to be quieted by the shock of yet another injustice. The Republican assault on our freedom is not a popular political idea, and it deserves a broad and robust counter-attack.

We need to elect more partisan judges who will advocate for the sanctity of our personal freedoms.

As voters, we have fallen victim to the divisive tactics of demagogue politicians who push hot-button issues like Second Amendment rights, while in the background, they wage an ideological battle against the individual rights they pretend to protect. Regardless of their personal beliefs, these politicians have become activist enablers of the conservative elite’s assault on our freedoms in order to protect the funding of their next election campaigns.

To save itself from itself, our reproductive freedom-supporting Republicans need to exorcise their demons by switching teams for a couple of cycles. We’re not asking for a long-term commitment, just long enough to send the message to crusading politicians that even conservatives value their autonomy. Because if we don’t stop them, soon enough, they’ll be going after you too.

Vote for judges this November. Vote for Karen Bass. Vote for candidates that are unapologetically and consistently pro-autonomy. Vote Nov. 8.