Last month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Moore v. Harper to decide the validity of a dangerous interpretation of constitutional law known as the independent state legislative theory (ISLT). If the court confirms this once-fringe theory, it could pave the way for unchecked state legislative power over federal elections—a dagger to the heart of our democracy.
Over the past months, the court’s devastating decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and leave reproductive rights up to the states, combined with the conservative majority’s demonstrated openness to validating the ISLT and endangering our democracy via Moore v. Harper, put state legislatures at center stage ahead of November’s midterm elections.