A center-left Democratic think tank is calling for 18-year terms for Supreme Court justices and an enforceable ethics code, adding to growing party support for changes to the court ahead of the 2028 presidential campaign. Third Way said Thursday that presidential candidates should be asked whether they would support the reforms. The group’s plan is intended to bring a centrist voice into a debate that has gained force among Democrats amid concerns about partisanship and ethics on the court. “This is one of those things that we think can and should be a part of the 2028 discussion,” said Lanae Erickson, a senior vice president at Third Way. She said candidates should be asked whether they would champion reform. An 18-year rotation would result in two Supreme Court appointments during each presidential term, according to the group. Third Way cited surveys from the Brennan Center for Justice and Fox News that found more than 70% of respondents support term limits for justices. The proposal also calls for legislation that would make ethics requirements binding and provide a way to hold justices accountable for violations. The court adopted its first formal code of conduct in 2023, but critics say the policy lacks meaningful enforcement provisions. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in August that he supports major court changes, beginning with an ethics code that ensures justices are not “above the law.” Third Way’s plan follows a June resolution from several Democratic House caucus leaders, including the Congressional Progressive Caucus, that also called for term limits and an ethics code. Erickson said centrists had not been forceful enough in proposing reforms, leaving more space for voices further to the left. The group is not backing an increase in the number of justices. Erickson called that approach a “mutually assured destruction path,” warning that each party could respond to the other by expanding the court again. Any legislation faces steep hurdles in the near term: Third Way acknowledged that reform would be unlikely to pass without control of the White House and majorities in both chambers of Congress. The group said it wants the proposals to demonstrate that the center-left can address systemic concerns and respond to voters’ unease about the court.