In a race where spending from the candidates and outside groups could top $6 million, Circuit Judge Annette Ziegler defeated Madison attorney Linda Clifford on Tuesday night.
Ziegler says the high cost of getting their message out in the media was the reason why the campaign was so expensive. She says it's unfortunate that the costs have to be so high to run a campaign.
The campaign saw negative ads from both sides in the weeks leading up to the election, but Ziegler says she was just responding to attacks on her record. Ziegler says she tried to maintain a positive message.
However, Linda Clifford says her campaign stressed the facts. Several ads targeted Ziegler's judicial record, especially cases involving sex offenders and court decisions related to a bank where her husband sat on the board.
Clifford also says it's clear money played a big role in the campaign. She says Ziegler's easily out spent them 3 to 1 in the race.
Ziegler will be sworn in this August to the seat being vacated by outgoing State Supreme Court Justice Jon Wilcox.
