In a resounding victory, progressive Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge Janet Protasiewicz defeated right-wing candidate Dan Kelly for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, giving progressives a 4 - 3 majority for the first time in 15 years. Protasiewicz beat Kelly decisively, 55.5% to 44.5% with 97% of the ballots counted. It was the most expensive race for a state supreme court seat in U.S. history, costing some $40 million. The Court will be ruling on a variety of issues of national importance. From the Associated Press report:
"The new court controlled 4-3 by liberals is expected to decide a pending lawsuit challenging the state’s 1849 law banning abortion. Protasiewicz made the issue a focus of her campaign and won the support of Planned Parenthood and other abortion rights groups.
The court came within one vote of overturning President Joe Biden’s win in the state in 2020, and both major parties are preparing for another close race in 2024.
The court will now be controlled by Democratic-backed justices for at least the next two years, including the run-up and aftermath of the 2024 presidential election. Four of the past six presidential elections in Wisconsin have been decided by less than a percentage point and Trump turned to the courts in 2020 in his unsuccessful push to overturn his roughly 21,000-vote loss in the state." (our emphasis)
Kelly was a staunch opponent of women's reproductive rights, working for the so-called Wisconsin Right to Life, and was involved in the Malignant Loser's scheme to have fake electors in 2020 in an attempt to overturn the Presidential election. In much the same mode as his cult leader, Kelly was churlish and nasty in his concession speech:
“The people of Wisconsin have chosen the rule of Janet. I respect that decision because it is theirs to make," Kelly said.
“I wish I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent," he added, "but I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede."
He ended his remarks with another jab, saying he wished Wisconsin luck, "because I think it's going to need it."
Kelly's the one that might need the luck, though, if he played a key role in the fake electors scam in the aftermath of the 2020 election in Wisconsin.
BONUS: As always, the rat- fucking Republicans aren't necessarily giving up.
BONUS II:
This isn’t a prediction. It isn’t a hint. It’s just a note. And my note is, this election was a release valve for twelve years of Democratic rage in Wisconsin about Republicans rigging our state and smashing our democracy—and then using that power to rip away our rights.
— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) April 5, 2023
(photo: Judge Protasiewicz greets supporters. AP)
