The Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices we elect this year — and the values we defend — will shape everything from the clean air we breathe to the rights we hold dear.
The Lehigh Valley has always been a place where hard work, fairness and community pride run deep. We look out for each other here, and we want leaders — whether in Washington or in Harrisburg, or on the bench at our state Supreme Court to do the same.
That’s why I’m proud to see the FFRF Action Fund and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania — two groups grounded in fairness and protection — step forward together to support fair-minded judges in the 2025 judicial retention elections this November. This partnership reflects what I know to be true: Our strength lies in mobilizing and uniting voters who care about justice and science.
That’s why I am asking you to “Vote yes” to retain Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht this November.
Here’s what makes this alliance so important: FFRF Action Fund pushes for judges who uphold our cherished principle of the separation of state and church, a principle that has increasingly been threatened over the last few years. Conservation Voters PA advocates for judges who understand the science behind protecting our air, water and communities. When these forces join, they ensure our courts reflect both rationality and care for our shared environment.
In Pennsylvania, Supreme Court justices serve 10-year terms, after which voters have the opportunity to “retain” them for another 10 years. Donohue, Dougherty and Wecht are eligible for retention in November after 10 years of exceptional service on the bench.
Over the last 10 years, these justices have been responsible for critical decisions around environmental protection, personal freedoms and public school funding. In 2016, the court ruled against an industry-backed law that allowed gas drillers to ignore local zoning rules, protecting communities from unchecked fracking operations. This decision gave local governments the power to enforce environmental safeguards.
The Lehigh Valley sits at a crossroads. Warehouses are expanding and taking up open space, our communities are ranked worst in the nation for folks with asthma, and access to clean water is under threat. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will shape the long-term future of our water, green spaces and hard-won rights, ensuring that our communities continue to grow and prosper.
I fought hard in Congress to bring results — expanding our local airport’s services, making prescription medications more affordable and providing hands-on constituent service — because what matters most to me is the daily lives of Lehigh Valley residents.
Here’s where my own experience intersects: Farmers told me of their worries about the quality of their soil and the contamination by PFAS; parents told me of their children’s allergy and asthma treatments that were essential but too expensive; manufacturers told me of their need for sensible regulation and assistance from state and federal governments, in order to continue to grow their Made in America plans (with manufacturing being the single largest employment sector in the 7th District).
And what I quickly realized was that those concerns were being expressed by people without regard to their politics or party, but because of their lived experiences here in the Lehigh Valley. These many conversations reflect how the courts’ decisions ultimately affect all of us, in our neighborhoods, our schools and our families.
A court that respects both science and secular values is a court that respects all of us. In November, we have the chance to keep those values on the bench by showing up to defend reason, fairness and our right to a healthy environment.
And here’s what I believe: When we all see how our vote in judicial elections can protect that creek behind our houses, that historic neighborhood park, or the legal safeguards between church and state — we’ll show up. And we’ll be there together, ready to stand for decisions that keep the Lehigh Valley fair, clean and forward-looking.
This is a contributed opinion column. Susan Wild represented Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, covering the Lehigh Valley, from 2019 to 2025. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author(s), and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com/opinions.
