A state Supreme Court win for Janet Protasiewicz. The liberal Milwaukee County judge defeated conservative former Justice Dan Kelly by 10 points on Tuesday.
Protasiewicz, who made it clear during the campaign that she supports abortion rights, told supporters in Milwaukee that Wisconsin “is taking a step forward to a better and brighter future where our rights and freedoms will be protected.”
Kelly was not conciliatory in his concession remarks, which included a vitriolic personal attack on Protasiewicz. Kelly called the campaign “beneath contempt” and accused Protasiewicz of being “a serial liar.”
Protasiewicz will serve a 10-year term starting in August replacing retiring conservative Justice Pat Roggensack, giving liberals a 4-3 majority on the court. The court is expected to consider abortion rights and partisan redistricting.