Protasiewicz, Kelly Advance In Wisconsin High Court Primary

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz and ex-Justice Dan Kelly were the top two vote-getters from a four-candidate field for Wisconsin Supreme
Court yesterday in Wisconsin’s primary election and they advance to the April 4th general election.

The two are vying for an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court which becomes available when Justice Patience Roggensack’s term expires on July 31st. She did not run for re-election.

While supreme court elections are officially nonpartisan, the court is considered to have a 4-3 conservative majority with Roggensack—a member of the court’s conservative majority.

The general election will determine if conservatives keep control with Kelly, or move to a liberal control with Protasiewitz. Something that hasn’t been achieved by liberals in 15 years.

Protasiewicz won the primary with about 46% of the vote, while Kelly came in second with about 24%.

Protasiewicz and Everett Mitchell, the other liberal candidate, combined for nearly 54% of votes yesterday compared with about 46% for the two conservatives. Not a good sign for Republicans in the state heading into the April election.

In Fond du Lac County, about 15,000 voters turned out at the polls, or about 25% of registered voters.

Kelly beat out Protasiewicz 5,334 to 4,696.

4 of the 5 school board candidates advance to the general election.

Katie Moder, Joan Pennau, Richard Gedemer and Andrea Schultz advanced to compete for two seats on the board. Both Moder and Pennau beat out incumbents
Gedemer and Schultz in yesterdays voting.