Liberals Flip Wisconsin Supreme Court


Wisconsin Supreme Court election breaks spending and turnout records, flips the balance to liberal control.

On April 4, 2023, liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz successfully flipped the ideological makeup of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, giving liberal justices the majority for the first time in 15 years. Protasiewicz won the election resoundingly, running on a platform of popular issues such as election rights, redistricting, labor rights and abortion. Her opponent, Dan Kelly, was a former Wisconsin supreme court justice with ties to election deniers and the far right. The race smashed campaign finance records for a U.S. state judicial election, with more than $45 million spent. It also broke all previous records for turnout in a spring election: 36%, equivalent to more than 1.7 million ballots cast. Justice Janet will take her place on the bench on August 1, 2023.

 

This was a great victory for Wisconsin Democrats, including DA members who vote in the Badger state, but our work is just beginning. For a truly motivating election recap and roadmap for 2024, click here.