Today's election could weaken conservatives' long-held advantage in Wisconsin
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WUWM
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Daniel Kelly makes a point to supporters at a GOP headquarters in West Allis, Wis., on April 2, 2023.
Some advocates for Protasiewicz say they also worry about conservative control of the court when it comes to setting voting rules for the 2024 presidential election in Wisconsin and if Republicans would challenge the 2024 results. Conservatives unsuccessfully fought the results of the 2020 race in the state, and there may be more lawsuits involving the 2024 race.
Democrats also see an opening to overturn an 1849 state law that took effect last summer after the
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization
ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. A lawsuit filed by Democrats last year challenging the old law will be argued at the circuit court level in May and could go to the state court within months.
What voters say
"As a woman, I think the 1849 abortion ban is absolutely ridiculous," said Alicia Halvensleben at the Waukesha event with Holder for Protasiewicz. "I'm really concerned about what's going to happen if this comes before our court and we have Dan Kelly on the court."
Protasiewicz has been sick and off the campaign trail for the past few days, according to her aides. Kelly's campaign says he's made more than 20 stops over the last four days, including Sunday afternoon at Milwaukee County Republican headquarters in West Allis.
"You're the bosses, and we're the servants,'' Kelly began, "the first thing I learned a long, long time ago, is that servants don't tell the bosses what to do."
Kelly maintained he would be impartial on cases, and only wants to serve taxpayers.
Local Lutheran pastor Dennis Hipenbecker was in the audience. He said he sees Kelly as "very moral, from what I know, though we don't know everything about a person." Hipenbecker said he believes Kelly would rule against expanding abortion rights in the state, something he said is vital.
One reason for all the late campaigning is that hundreds of thousands of people who vote in presidential elections in Wisconsin don't bother with supreme court races. State Republican Party Chair Brian Schimming told the West Allis crowd to reach out to 10 people they know and convince them to vote.
"If you hunt with them, if you're in church with them, if they're relatives whoever those people are we've got to get to those people," he said.
Elected Wisconsin Supreme Court justices serve a 10-year term.
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Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 9:00 am