Challenge & Opportunity

Pennsylvania’s 2025 judicial retention election presented a unique and often overlooked challenge. Judicial retention races typically attract low public awareness, low turnout, and minimal media coverage. Most voters do not understand how judicial retention works or the extent of the Supreme Court's influence over issues that matter deeply to hunters, landowners, and constitutional rights advocates. This lack of visibility created a significant hurdle for engaging the hunter community in a meaningful way.

At the same time, the election offered an important strategic opportunity. Three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices were seeking another ten years on the bench, and their judicial records included decisions on firearm rights, voter identification requirements, land use regulations, and election procedures. These rulings directly affected the freedoms that define the hunting tradition in the Commonwealth.

With a low turnout environment expected, Hunter Nation had a rare chance to activate a culturally aligned constituency that could influence the direction of the court for the next decade. The moment called for clear education, strong grassroots outreach, and messaging that connected judicial decisions to the real-world concerns of hunters and outdoorsmen.

What We Did

Campaign Now delivered strategic guidance and voter education support that were essential to driving this judicial retention effort. Through clear messaging, targeted outreach, and a coordinated digital strategy, Campaign Now equipped Hunter Nation to engage hunters across Pennsylvania and help them understand the importance of the retention vote.

We developed a comprehensive plan that included explainer videos, influencer scripts, statewide digital content, and updated resources for the Hunt the Vote website. By simplifying a complex judicial process and connecting it to issues that matter to hunters, Campaign Now helped Hunter Nation activate thousands of outdoorsmen and establish a stronger foundation for future civic engagement in Pennsylvania.

Results

Hunter Nation educated and mobilized tens of thousands of Pennsylvania hunters, outdoorsmen, and constitutional rights supporters ahead of the 2025 judicial retention election. Through targeted digital content, explainer videos, influencer messaging from state leaders, and statewide grassroots outreach, the campaign significantly increased awareness of how judicial retention works and why the three Supreme Court justices on the ballot mattered to hunters.

Across the Commonwealth, hunters engaged with videos, blogs, and calls to action that directed them to research the records of Justices Donohue, Dougherty, and Wecht. This activity demonstrated that the hunting community was paying close attention to the retention vote, an election that typically receives little public engagement.

Although the three justices were ultimately retained, the campaign achieved a measurable increase in civic participation among hunters and positioned Hunter Nation as a trusted source of election education in Pennsylvania. The statewide mobilization also helped strengthen the foundation for higher hunter turnout in the 2026 gubernatorial election, where the stakes will be even greater for protecting constitutional rights and election integrity.

Overview

In 2025, Pennsylvania voters faced a low-visibility but high-stakes judicial retention election that would determine whether three Supreme Court justices, Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht, would remain on the bench for another ten years. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court holds final authority over state law, and its decisions have shaped critical issues for hunters, including firearm ownership, land use, voter identification, mail-in ballot rules, and election procedures. Despite these long-term consequences, most voters do not understand how retention elections work or how these justices have ruled on issues affecting their rights.

Hunter Nation recognized that hunters needed clear education and a strong call to participate. In partnership with Campaign Now, the organization launched a statewide initiative focused on explaining the retention process, outlining the justices’ records, and showing how the court’s decisions directly impact the hunting tradition in the Commonwealth. The campaign included short videos, influencer messages from State Directors John Bingaman and Dan Sneath, blog content, and updates to http://HuntTheVote.org that provided judge profiles and voter tools.

The initiative brought unprecedented attention to a traditionally overlooked election. Tens of thousands of hunters viewed the educational content and engaged with resources that encouraged them to research the justices before voting. Coalition groups such as the NRA, Gun Owners of America, America First Works, and the Republican State Leadership Committee also activated their members, reinforcing the call for informed participation.

Although the justices were ultimately retained, the campaign succeeded in educating a large and influential audience and created momentum for increased hunter turnout in the 2026 gubernatorial election.

Judicial Retention in Pennsylvania: Why These Votes Matter

Judicial retention elections are among the most overlooked decisions on the Pennsylvania ballot, yet they carry consequences that last for ten years. Unlike typical elections, voters are not choosing between two candidates. Instead, they are asked a simple question: Should a sitting justice remain on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for another decade? A yes vote keeps the justice in place. A no vote removes them and opens the door for new leadership.

In 2025, three justices reached the end of their initial ten-year terms. Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht were all elected in 2015 and now stood before voters again. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court holds final authority over state law, and its rulings have shaped some of the most important issues for hunters and outdoorsmen. These include decisions on firearm ownership, local gun restrictions, property and land use disputes, voter identification rules, mail-in ballot procedures, and the structure of election law.

For hunters, these votes matter because the court has the power to influence the rights and traditions that define life across the Commonwealth. A ruling on a firearms case can affect how hunters carry or transport a firearm. A decision on voter identification affects confidence in the fairness of elections. Decisions on land use can determine access to hunting grounds or the limits of government regulation. Over the next decade, the justices retained in this election will be responsible for interpreting the law on all of these issues.

Judicial retention elections typically receive very little media coverage, and turnout is often low. This creates a situation where a small but informed group of voters can determine the direction of the court for many years. For that reason, hunters in Pennsylvania have an outsized opportunity to influence an election that directly affects their rights, their heritage, and the future of the Commonwealth.

Campaign Reach and Engagement Metrics

Hunter Nation approached the 2025 Pennsylvania judicial retention election with a targeted outreach plan designed for a low-turnout environment where a motivated hunting community could meaningfully influence the outcome. The campaign centered on simplifying an unfamiliar type of election and transforming it into an issue directly tied to gun rights, election integrity, and long-term judicial power. Every touchpoint focused on helping hunters understand that a single yes or no vote would determine who interprets Pennsylvania’s laws for the next decade.

Hunter Nation’s effort also operated within a broader conservative ecosystem active in the state during this cycle. The NRA, Gun Owners of America, America First Works, and the Republican State Leadership Committee each ran parallel voter education and turnout initiatives focused on the same ballot question. This overlapping presence helped reinforce message consistency statewide, ensuring Pennsylvania hunters encountered multiple sources of aligned information during the final weeks of the election.

Overall reach and engagement metrics showed that hunter-facing communications effectively elevated an election that typically receives minimal attention. The blend of localized messengers, repeated digital exposure, and coordinated conservative activity helped drive tens of thousands of impressions, site visits, and video engagements. Hunter Nation successfully transformed a quiet, down-ballot judicial question into a recognizable and time-sensitive civic issue for the Pennsylvania outdoor community.

Campaign Strategy & Budget

Hunter Nation partnered with Campaign Now to deploy a targeted, education-first GOTV program built for a low-information judicial retention election. The strategy focused on simplifying the ballot question, elevating the stakes for hunters, and driving turnout in a cycle where most voters typically skip the judicial section entirely.

The campaign rolled out in two coordinated phases. The first phase centered on voter education: animated explainers, judge profiles, updated http://HuntTheVote.org resources, and influencer-style videos featuring Pennsylvania State Directors John Bingaman and Dan Sneath. The second phase shifted to mobilization with peer-to-peer texting, social countdown messaging, and direct calls to action, encouraging hunters to make a voting plan for November 4.

The tactical plan emphasized operational efficiency. Existing messaging assets were repurposed, audience lists were segmented for maximum deliverability, and digital channels were prioritized to keep activation costs low. The structure ensured the majority of spending supported direct voter contact and educational content rather than administrative overhead.

Digital Ads: By the Numbers

Hunter Nation’s Pennsylvania judicial retention effort delivered a focused digital push built around 7 unique ads featuring State Representatives and Hunter Nation State Directors. Across a 4 day campaign window, the program generated 358,218 impressions, 347,913 video plays, and a strong 97.12% video play rate, supported by an efficient $0.0057 cost per impression. The campaign reached 315,539 Pennsylvanians and produced 1,378 link clicks with 2,039 dollars spent. This concentrated investment created meaningful statewide visibility for hunter voters and provided clear, timely education ahead of a high impact judicial retention vote.

This streamlined investment enabled a statewide reach across tens of thousands of Pennsylvania hunters, delivering clear, actionable voter education ahead of a high-impact judicial retention vote.

Precision Targeting and Execution

Hunter Nation used interest-based and geographically targeted outreach to identify Pennsylvania’s most engaged hunting households and outdoor sportsmen. Campaign Now supplied the operational structure behind the program, overseeing message delivery, audience segmentation, and real-time adjustments to maximize engagement in a low-turnout judicial election.

Each recipient received clear, direct messaging explaining how a retention vote works and why it matters to hunters. Videos and educational content were delivered through peer-to-peer text, social media, and digital ads, featuring trusted voices like State Directors John Bingaman and Dan Sneath. These messages guided hunters step-by-step on what a “yes” or “no” vote means, how judicial decisions affect the Second Amendment and voter ID, and where to find non-partisan information before casting their ballot.

The strategy prioritized precision. Messaging was tailored to hunters who already show a strong interest in firearms, outdoor heritage, and election integrity. Calls to action linked directly to a dedicated Hunt the Vote Pennsylvania page, where users could learn about the three justices, view key deadlines, and access simplified voting instructions.

Although judicial retention races typically receive little citizen attention, the targeted outreach produced strong awareness and digital engagement across key rural and suburban hunting regions. The focused execution allowed Hunter Nation to reach tens of thousands of motivated hunters with minimal waste and positioned them to influence an election often decided by only a small share of voters.

Demographic Trends

Engagement was strongest in regions where hunting is central to local culture and where voters are traditionally underrepresented in off-year judicial elections. Rural counties across central and northern Pennsylvania produced the highest levels of interaction with Hunter Nation’s educational content, reflecting consistent interest from sportsmen who closely follow issues related to firearm rights, access to public land, and voter identification.

Suburban counties surrounding Pittsburgh and Philadelphia showed moderate yet meaningful engagement. Although these areas are less hunting-dense, the messaging reached families who prioritize constitutional rights and election transparency, demonstrating the campaign’s ability to extend beyond traditional rural audiences.

The most responsive segments were:

• Adult men aged 30 to 60 with established hunting licenses
• Veterans and lifelong hunters with a strong interest in firearm ownership
• Outdoor families seeking clarity on how courts influence their rights
• Women who cited safety, fairness, and family traditions as motivating factors

These participation patterns showed that judicial retention, typically one of the least understood items on the ballot, became significantly more visible to Pennsylvania’s hunter community when presented through trusted voices and heritage-centered messaging.

Impact on Civic Momentum

Within days of launching the education and outreach program, Hunter Nation saw a clear uptick in hunter engagement across Pennsylvania. Videos, blog articles, and text alerts generated sustained traffic to Hunt the Vote’s website, where voters accessed judge profiles, ballot instructions, and election deadlines. This surge in interest demonstrated how targeted education can raise visibility for races that traditionally receive little public attention.

The increased awareness translated directly into civic action. Hunters who rarely participate in judicial elections reported making voting plans, sharing content with friends, and discussing the retention vote at local sportsmen’s clubs and outdoor gatherings. Regional directors noted a steady rise in questions about the court, the justices on the ballot, and the long-term implications for the Second Amendment and election integrity.

This rising engagement signaled a deeper shift. Hunters, long viewed as reliable voters in high-profile races, began showing a stronger appetite for participation in down-ballot elections that influence their rights over the next decade. By elevating the retention vote to a matter of heritage, fairness, and personal responsibility, Hunter Nation helped strengthen long-term civic habits and positioned the hunter community as a more active force in Pennsylvania’s judicial and electoral landscape.

The campaign underscored a key principle: when hunters receive clear, value-driven information from trusted voices, they do not just react to an election. They become lasting participants in the civic process.

Conclusion

The Pennsylvania judicial retention campaign demonstrated how focused voter education and culturally grounded outreach can elevate a low-visibility election into a moment of real civic engagement. By translating a complex judicial process into clear, accessible information, Hunter Nation empowered hunters to understand what was at stake and why their participation mattered in shaping the long-term direction of the state’s highest court.

Hunter Nation’s digital footprint expanded rapidly in the final days before the November 4 election. A series of promoted reels, influencer videos, and district-level partner ads reached hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania voters. Across all digital placements between November 1 and November 5, the combined campaign delivered more than 358,000 impressions, 347,913 video plays, 1,378 link clicks, and 2,039 measurable engagements, according to the official campaign reporting.

Trusted messengers helped amplify this performance. Influencer reels from Hunter Nation’s Pennsylvania State Director, John Bingaman, and multiple state representatives generated strong engagement on Meta platforms. One Bingaman reel alone recorded more than 71,000 impressions and 49,000 video plays, while another surpassed 141,000 total views across platforms.

State representatives also created significant earned attention. Ads and reels from Rep. Tim O’Neal, Rep. Eric Davanzo, and Rep. Jamie Barton contributed tens of thousands of additional views and clicks, helping reinforce the importance of the judicial retention vote among rural and suburban audiences. Their combined reach exceeded 110,000 impressions over the course of the campaign.

Through targeted messaging, trusted local voices, and coordinated digital outreach, the campaign strengthened awareness among voters who are often overlooked in odd-year elections. Hunters who typically focus on top-of-ticket races became active participants in a judicial contest that will influence Second Amendment rights, election integrity, and hunting traditions for the next decade.

The initiative proved that when hunters are informed and mobilized, they become a powerful civic force. The Pennsylvania effort not only raised turnout potential in a critical off-year election but also laid a foundation for deeper engagement in future statewide contests. It reinforced that protecting heritage, rights, and fair elections begins with understanding the ballot and showing up when it counts.

About Hunter Nation

Hunter Nation is a national grassroots organization dedicated to protecting America’s hunting heritage and defending the core values of faith, family, and freedom. The organization believes hunters are among the most engaged and civic-minded citizens in the country. Hunter Nation works to unite millions of outdoorsmen and women into a strong voice for constitutional rights and traditional values. Through education, outreach, and voter engagement efforts such as the Pennsylvania judicial retention initiative, Hunter Nation equips hunters with the information they need to protect their heritage and participate fully in the civic process.

About Campaign Now

Campaign Now is a national grassroots strategy and consulting firm specializing in voter engagement, public policy advocacy, and targeted mobilization campaigns. Led by John Connors, the firm brings more than twenty years of experience in campaign management, voter modeling, and legislative engagement. Campaign Now helps organizations translate public sentiment into measurable political impact through data-driven planning, digital outreach, and community-based activation.

The firm has supported strategic initiatives across numerous states, advising advocacy groups and coalitions on digital organizing, cultural messaging, and issue-focused campaigns that strengthen civic participation. Campaign Now’s approach is grounded in the belief that meaningful political change begins with informed citizens and strong community networks.

John Connors grew up hunting in Wisconsin’s Northwoods and carries a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors. When not working with clients, he enjoys spending time with his family in the Texas Hill Country, exploring the outdoors, fishing, and playing tennis.