Wisconsin Supreme Court election called for Janet Protasiewicz
April 4, 2023 7:51 PM   Subscribe

Major news outlets predict Janet Protasiewicz will win Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election (CNN), "flipping majority control in liberals’ favor in what could be the most consequential election of the year with abortion access, election rules and more on the line."

For the first time in 15 years, liberals win control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, NPR
Liberal wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race, swinging court toward abortion rights, Reuters

Yesterday: The most consequential politics story in the US isn’t the Trump arraignment: "In Wisconsin, voters will choose a new judge for the supreme court and a senator for the state legislature. These elections could decide the future of the US," Robert Reich in the Guardian

On a personal note: I am so relieved. Thank you for voting, Wisconsin!
posted by kristi (51 comments total) 54 users marked this as a favorite
 
omg, what a relief. Thank you, Wisconsin!
posted by zeptoweasel at 7:56 PM on April 4, 2023 [17 favorites]


Oh thank god, there's no liquor in the house so I don't know what I'd have done with a loss. Please god don't let me jinx it by saying this.
posted by aramaic at 8:06 PM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]


HAPPY TRUMP ARRESTED AND JANET WINS DAY
posted by brook horse at 8:06 PM on April 4, 2023 [39 favorites]


On a more serious note, I’m a staunch believer in not fleeing a sinking ship if there are still others on board who can’t escape, so I’ve long been committed to staying in WI and trying to save as many lives as I could even if it went full conservative hell state. But I admit that resolve had wavered slightly recently and I was starting to despair about how I was going to keep hanging on in a state where so much of the government wants me dead. This was just the bolstering I needed. Immense relief looking at the years ahead.
posted by brook horse at 8:15 PM on April 4, 2023 [91 favorites]


Jesus Christ, get a load of Kelly’s concession speech. What a vile, hateful man, and what a pleasure to see him get the shellacking he so richly deserved.
posted by holborne at 8:28 PM on April 4, 2023 [32 favorites]


Just how badly Wisconsin is gerrymandered was described by Heather Cox Richardson the other day.
In the 2010 elections, Republicans launched Operation REDMAP to take over state legislatures before the redistricting process based on the 2010 census began. That year, the billionaire brothers Charles G. and David H. Koch pumped money into Wisconsin. The resulting district maps district maps are so heavily tilted for Republicans that Democrats have to win the statewide vote by 12 points just to get a majority in the assembly: 50 of the 99 seats. Republicans, though, can win a majority with just 44% of the vote.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 8:30 PM on April 4, 2023 [30 favorites]


this win is really great and it's promising for the future of the state. I think the republicans really don't understand how much they blew up their hold on swing states with the Dobbs decision. At the same time, 3 absolutely terrible referendums got passed by what look like overwhelming majorities, which is a real cloud on this election. We got more draconian punishment of criminals and a welfare work requirement, real red-meat conservative shit.
posted by dis_integration at 8:32 PM on April 4, 2023


The referendums are advisory only, and don’t have any legal consequences. Wisconsin doesn’t have binding referendums.
posted by Headfullofair at 8:40 PM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]


The referendums are advisory only, and don’t have any legal consequences. Wisconsin doesn’t have binding referendums.

the cash bail and victims "rights" referendums were *absolutely* state binding referendums that changed the state constitution. The welfare work requirement was "advisory" but it's just depressing to see such an overwhelming vote for yes.
posted by dis_integration at 8:45 PM on April 4, 2023 [6 favorites]


I wish Kelly everything he deserves for that "concession" speech.

It's remarkable to me how Kelly's disrespect is the norm for Republicans who deal with Democrats these days. I'm old enough to remember when Texans were horrified that Clayton Williams wouldn't shake Ann Richards' hand, like it was a real thing that weighed in the election in 1996, pundits talked about it and how it would influence people's votes, and people outside the pundits talked about it like William's mama didn't raise him right. Here we are less than three decades on and a speech where a candidate calls the opponent he lost all sorts of names, liar and disgraceful and unworthy and so on and that's just ... part of the way things go down now.

Despite that, I'm really happy for Protasiewicz's victory. Thanks Wisconsin voters, and thanks to all who worked to make that victory happen and get out the vote.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:48 PM on April 4, 2023 [24 favorites]


The welfare work requirement was "advisory" but it's just depressing to see such an overwhelming vote for yes.

Especially as it is already a requirement. I can’t understand why it was a referendum other than to put a certain narrative back in the mind of voters.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 8:49 PM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]


♩·♫

What a friend we have in Cheeseheads!

(stolen from a comment elsewhere)

In potentially less cheery news, can any Wisconsinites weigh in on how concerned we should be about the apparent likely R win in SD-8?
posted by Not A Thing at 8:56 PM on April 4, 2023 [4 favorites]


I made calls for Judge Janet!
posted by NotLost at 9:02 PM on April 4, 2023 [16 favorites]


And Brandon Johnson won in Chicago! Today is a good day.
posted by goatdog at 9:03 PM on April 4, 2023 [13 favorites]


What a contrast between Kelly's vile speech and the concession speech from Paul Vallas in Chicago:
“This campaign I ran to bring the city together would not be a campaign that fulfilled my ambitions if this election is going to divide us more. So it’s critically important that we use this opportunity to come together, and I’ve offered him my full support on his transition,” Vallas said.
posted by kristi at 9:06 PM on April 4, 2023 [12 favorites]


The referenda were super-vaguely worded and I doubt many people knew what they were about. I voted against all of them but I knew they’d pass.
posted by Slinga at 9:10 PM on April 4, 2023 [1 favorite]


10 points? Shit. That’s a shellacking. Purple state? Hmmm.
posted by mr_roboto at 9:41 PM on April 4, 2023 [3 favorites]


In potentially less cheery news, can any Wisconsinites weigh in on how concerned we should be about the apparent likely R win in SD-8?

well someone else fact-check me on this but looking at the map that's a favorite place to live for many people who want the amenities of the city but don't want to live in Milwaukee proper because of all the Black people; also idk if this is relevant but they will straight up shank you over a parking space at the Brookfield farmers' market
posted by taquito sunrise at 10:31 PM on April 4, 2023 [6 favorites]


I guess I was wondering if, by giving the Rs a 2/3 majority, it would in fact open up a path to impeachment of the governor et al., or if there are likely to be sufficient legal and practical obstacles to that. Maybe a premature question though.
posted by Not A Thing at 10:39 PM on April 4, 2023 [2 favorites]


It's worth remembering that the Chicago police union threatened mass resignations if Johnson won, so either a lot of cops leave the CPD or the union is outed as a paper tiger.

That's what's known as a "win-win".
posted by NoxAeternum at 10:39 PM on April 4, 2023 [57 favorites]


I guess I was wondering if, by giving the Rs a 2/3 majority, it would in fact open up a path to impeachment of the governor et al., or if there are likely to be sufficient legal and practical obstacles to that.

ohhhh I get what you mean now! my gut response is yes, these fucks will stop at nothing & the state constitution doesn't throw much in their way besides "you must swear under oath to adjudicate this trial impartially based on evidence"

that being said, historically very few people have been impeached and only two expelled, one for treason & the other for literally murdering another senator, so it's possible there are impracticalities my beanbag-pundit ass doesn't know about? or maybe partisanship's gotten stronger since the last time it would have been possible for the Democrats in 1984 and the Republicans in 1970?

no idea what legal recourse an elected official would have if they went through with a kangaroo impeachment, again someone who knows more fact check me but concern seems warranted tbh
posted by taquito sunrise at 11:29 PM on April 4, 2023 [3 favorites]


One factor is that Wisconsin's Governor, a Democrat, would appoint her replacement.
posted by overglow at 12:14 AM on April 5, 2023 [3 favorites]


Thank you to everyone who helped my state to this state Supreme Court outcome.

It's far from a perfect state, but maybe now we can make it a better one.

And yes, there was immense bewilderment about those horrible referenda. I think the Wisconsin left whiffed voter education on them. I hope we won't make that mistake again.
posted by humbug at 1:05 AM on April 5, 2023 [13 favorites]


While I am excited by this result I am afraid that the 2/3rds majority and total lack of interest in democracy will mean a concerted effort to impeach her before she’s even assumed office. These fucks are truly deplorable.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 2:54 AM on April 5, 2023 [4 favorites]


My rule of thumb is that whenever my state makes national news something very bad is afoot. I'm relieved at how this one turned out, and will breathe a little easier today. Hello to my fellow Sconnie MeFites!
posted by eirias at 4:40 AM on April 5, 2023 [2 favorites]


Yay, I ran most of the canvasses in my area (a minority-majority area of Madison) and personally knocked a few hundred doors in the full spectrum of Wisconsin early spring weather.

I just want to emphasize to folks the way the Democratic Party of Wisconsin has completely remade itself since 2016. In 2016, there was literally no on-the-ground organizing until a handful of Hillary organizers showed up in August and September. The state party was basically a handful of old white men who did little but hire expensive consultants and buy TV ads at the tail end of a campaign.

In the spring of 2017, the county Democratic Party meetings were being attended by hundreds of people instead of the same few dozen, and they had no idea what to do with all these people who wanted to do SOMETHING. The spring election in 2017 was deeply depressing, because nobody had even bothered to recruit a progressive candidate for the Supreme Court in the fall, so there was all this energy, and nowhere for it to even go.

In 2017, the state party brought in a former Obama campaign staffer, who basically brought back the Organizing for America structure of neighborhood teams, but instead of it being tied to a specific candidate and campaign, it would be tied to the state party.

This approach has worked, and is getting stronger each year. Ben Wikler, the current WisDems chair, took this organizing-first approach to the next level. As a volunteer neighborhood team lead, I can rely on the support of several full-time, year round staff who help with logistics, recruiting, tooling, and other background tasks. I don’t have to cut turf and print my own walk packets anymore (in 2018, I bought a commercial laser printer and printed thousands and thousands of pages to support teams across Madison), instead the state party covers this now. This support vastly reduces the rate of volunteer burnout. It’s also across the state, not just in strongholds.

In addition, there is all kinds of other permanent staff, such as a full time data team focused on improving our targets, and a media team that makes things that can be shared on social media.

All this permanent infrastructure means that national and state campaigns can just slot into its support structures, instead of trying to build everything from scratch 6-8 weeks before an election. It also means that there are far fewer horribly expensive consultants brought in at the last minute.

What all this means is that, while it is taking time, Wisconsin is building the kind of sustainable structures to build long-term support across the state. I am very much looking forward to 2024!
posted by rockindata at 5:20 AM on April 5, 2023 [94 favorites]


Ben Wikler, the current WisDems chair, took this organizing-first approach to the next level.

I'm in Minnesota and have family in Wisconsin so it's not super surprising that I know stuff about Wisconsin politics, but yeah I have known of Ben Wikler for years - all glowingly positive info - and I barely know about people in the party structure in my own state. I'm excited for Wisconsin's political future!
posted by Emmy Rae at 7:11 AM on April 5, 2023 [6 favorites]


10 points? Shit. That’s a shellacking. Purple state? Hmmm.


He lost last time by the same margin. Seems like a terrible guy in a lot of ways. It was pretty clear that the WI Supreme Court vote was a referendum on abortion and gerrymandering, and abortion is pretty well-supported despite Republican claims to the contrary. I expected a Democratic win but 55-45 is a higher margin than I dared hope for.
posted by Slinga at 7:38 AM on April 5, 2023 [7 favorites]


Scott Walker has now lost two state Supreme Court seats for the Republicans. If he had appointed someone less terrible to the seat initially, they could have held it when it came up for re-election, but instead he appointed Dan Kelly, who lost the seat to a Democrat, freeing up Dan Kelly to lose yet another seat just now. Thanks Scott!
posted by Slinga at 7:41 AM on April 5, 2023 [16 favorites]


I write with Postcards to Voters and (at the request of the campaign organizers) our volunteers wrote and mailed over 200,000 postcards to Wisconsin voters in support of Judge Janet. I'm THRILLED.

If you want to support these statewide elections, I can't say enough about how easy it is to write with Postcards to Voters. You pay for your own postcards and stamps and can request as few as 5 addresses at a time.

Hooray for Wisconsin!
posted by kimberussell at 8:12 AM on April 5, 2023 [9 favorites]


Yeah, and of the voter outreach programs, the postcards are actually kind of nice? I didn't get quite as hammered by the SMS texting outreach this election for a change, but it was still verging on annoying. Maybe the short duration between primary and general probably blunted how far along the fever pitch of annoyance the texting could get. Or maybe the limited number of candidates, too, so I wasn't getting hit by five different candidates on five different campaigns. "Did you know it's voting day today!?!??!" yeah ok the last four texts didn't remind me enough, thanks my dudes.

Glad for the judicial outcomes, a bit disappointed (but not surprised) by the referendums. Glad to see the Milwaukee abortion referendum break the way it did though, although it's just a statement and not binding in any way.
posted by Kyol at 8:37 AM on April 5, 2023 [4 favorites]


I wish that GOTV efforts would put always-voters at the bottom of lists. It's dead simple to get voting records (not HOW somebody voted, but WHETHER) from Wisconsin. It's dead obvious from that list that I haven't missed voting in an election in ages, so texting/calling me to vote is a waste of effort.

But that's minor, in the scheme of things. We elected Janet P. We break out the good cheese tonight!
posted by humbug at 8:55 AM on April 5, 2023 [10 favorites]


5 takeaways from liberals big election-night win in Wisconsin
Another challenge for Republicans is that the rank-and-file has largely abandoned voting in any way other than in-person on Election Day.

At least 435,000 people voted early for this election — either via the mail or with in-person absentee voting — and that group is expected to lean heavily Democratic. Party officials estimated that Protasiewicz banked at least a 100,000 vote lead from those early voters.

That puts Republicans in a major hole well before most of their voters headed to the polls. That is a psychological and financial disadvantage for Republicans — the Democratic Party doesn’t have to spend last-minute resources to turn voters out, and can use those resources instead to target lower propensity voters.

The Wisconsin state GOP has been trying to flip that trend in the state, with a page on their website practically begging for their supporters to vote early. But Tuesday’s election shows they still have a long way to go.
HAHAHAHA YOU MADE YOUR BED NOW CRY IN IT
posted by brook horse at 9:04 AM on April 5, 2023 [33 favorites]


Thanks rockindata, notlost, (eponywonderful!) kimberrussell, and everyone who voted and helped get the turnout! I made calls to WI voters and I'm so happy today.
posted by prewar lemonade at 9:28 AM on April 5, 2023 [7 favorites]


"After a huge progressive win in Wisconsin, the right wing is whining" (Jennifer Rubin, WaPo, gift link)
...the warning to Republicans could not be more blunt: If you keep pushing right-wing judges widely out of step with the 21st-century United States to trample on cherished civil rights, voters will boot you out, up and down the ballot.

Republicans have every right to panic that Dobbs might usher in a new era of Democratic dominance in critical swing states.
posted by joannemerriam at 9:33 AM on April 5, 2023 [7 favorites]


"I wish that GOTV efforts would put always-voters at the bottom of lists. It's dead simple to get voting records (not HOW somebody voted, but WHETHER) from Wisconsin. It's dead obvious from that list that I haven't missed voting in an election in ages, so texting/calling me to vote is a waste of effort."

I dunno, I bet everyone calling you does indeed have that information, but also that age, health, and any number of other circumstances could easily change a 100% reliable voter to someone that could use a reminder or a ride to the polls.

In my experience in a different jurisdiction, if early voting is an option, they usually do find out fairly quickly when you've actually voted, and will use that as a sign to skip you....
posted by bfields at 9:43 AM on April 5, 2023


> Republicans have every right to panic that Dobbs might usher in a new era of Democratic dominance in critical swing states.

Dobbs may end up being a kind of pyrrhic victory for the conservatives. Swing states are turning against them because access to abortion at least in some cases is in fact quite popular and overturning Roe isn't something that goes away after a news cycle. The court left open the opportunity for Congress to codify abortion rights in law, and if the Democrats keep winning in swing states, *and* if they're smart and not cowards on this issue we could get abortion restored without having to convince 6 retrograde ghouls in black robes to have an ounce of compassion
posted by dis_integration at 9:45 AM on April 5, 2023 [10 favorites]


In my experience in a different jurisdiction, if early voting is an option, they usually do find out fairly quickly when you've actually voted, and will use that as a sign to skip you....

Yeah, I'm thinking about changing my pandemic-era plan from taking absentee ballots back to the city clerk's office to straight up early voting, mostly for that reason? Voting absentee doesn't mark me as having voted until election day, so I don't fall off the GOTV rolls as quickly.

I still like having the ballot before I go vote so I can look up the candidates, especially in tiny little aldermanic campaigns that don't have any real advertising presence past the candidate walking around and knocking on doors, but I know I can get that ballot (usually) at myvote, and the assistant at the polls yesterday said the early voting machines still print a scannable record, so it isn't just trusting some digital record in a database somewhere which ... yay?
posted by Kyol at 10:08 AM on April 5, 2023 [2 favorites]


It's worth remembering that the Chicago police union threatened mass resignations if Johnson won, so either a lot of cops leave the CPD or the union is outed as a paper tiger.

they are not going anywhere and if they do bolt take their pensions and their healthcare
posted by robbyrobs at 10:31 AM on April 5, 2023 [3 favorites]


rockindata, thanks so much for all your hard work in getting out the vote, and for that excellent comment detailing what's been happening - and working - in Wisconsin.

It gives me hope for all the other states.
posted by kristi at 10:36 AM on April 5, 2023 [2 favorites]


Wisconsinite here, still glowing from last night! Janet's win was just...wow. Locally, we elected two amazing individuals (former district educators) to our school board, just one year after we had three extreme right wing individuals get elected to the board. That group still has the majority, but 4-3 is a lot better than 6-1. Plus, we passed a referendum for school funding that I was sure was going to lose.

The young voters were incredibly energizing to watch--there is a video going around of the line in the student precinct at UW-Eau Claire, and it brings me joy every time I see it. On a personal note, I was excited because I helped a hs senior get registered and vote for the first time (just turned 18). That alone was cool, but it was incredibly gratifying when they were able to see results they hoped for in their first election!
posted by TheFantasticNumberFour at 10:53 AM on April 5, 2023 [6 favorites]


PLEASE GODS GODDESSES AND ANYONE LISTENING LET THIS BE A SIGN FOR OHIO AND INDIANA AND EVERYWHERE THAT NEEDS IT
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 11:08 AM on April 5, 2023 [7 favorites]


Another Wisconsinite here, also supremely happy Kelly lost his Supreme Court bid--what a loser that man is--and Janet Protasiewicz won. The polling place on my college campus was really lively as well, which was great to see!

But the state senate special election seat went to the Republican, and so the Republicans have a legislative supermajority again, and there's a lot of chatter about them impeaching judges and justices. That would smash norms that have been in place for as long as Wisconsin has existed as a state, but Wisconsin Republicans started doing that before Trump made it a national Republican pastime. We have their outrageous gerrymander packing the legislature with Republicans who have flat-out refused to take action to confirm appointments made by the Democratic governor, passed legislation to limit his power, etc. etc. It is possible Wisconsin as a whole is a blue-ish shade of purple, but the Republican legislature locked in a gerrymandered red outcome for themselves, and have been using it in an extremely activist way.

As for the referenda: Wisconsin doesn't allow for direct democracy in the form of referenda proposed by voters. It only has referenda proposed by state and local legislatures. Gov. Evers and political organizations and Democratic legislators proposed a referendum on abortion, but the Republican majority refused. Instead, they put a referendum on the ballot which asked voters, “Shall able-bodied, childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits?” This is already the law. Putting this referendum on the ballot was an act of pure political theater, meant to generate outrage by confusing people about what the current law is, with the aim of turning out Republicans to vote, and being able to claim "Look! The large majority of the voters are conservatives!" More of the "hardball tactics" of which Wisconsin Republicans are so fond. It's exhausting. But at least Janet Prostaiewicz won!

In short, things in Wisconsin might look rosier for progressives to people outside the state than they actually are. But! Loser Kelly lost! So phew for that.
posted by DrMew at 11:43 AM on April 5, 2023 [11 favorites]


Oh thank everything. Thank you Wisconsin voters, and all those who fought for this result.
posted by jokeefe at 11:57 AM on April 5, 2023 [1 favorite]


PLEASE GODS GODDESSES AND ANYONE LISTENING LET THIS BE A SIGN FOR OHIO AND INDIANA AND EVERYWHERE THAT NEEDS IT

I hear you, re:Indiana. But, being perennially ten or so years behind the times, Indiana’s legislature has only just now gotten into full-swing of being full-on fascist, with an aggressive republican supermajority and the unencumbered-by-any-trace-of-a-spine governor Holcomb. He just signed an extremely nasty anti-trans bill into law today. Assholes, all of ‘em.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:05 PM on April 5, 2023 [3 favorites]


David Pepper posted one of his whiteboard videos about what comes next after a huge win like this. (nitter link)

It's wonderful to have a victory to celebrate, but we can't let down our guard. The Republicans will stop at nothing to roll back our gains.
posted by Surely This at 2:31 PM on April 5, 2023


I just want to emphasize to folks the way the Democratic Party of Wisconsin has completely remade itself since 2016. In 2016, there was literally no on-the-ground organizing until a handful of Hillary organizers showed up in August and September. The state party was basically a handful of old white men who did little but hire expensive consultants and buy TV ads at the tail end of a campaign.

Can they come over here to Iowa and whip our state party into shape? The only thing the party here cared about was the first national presidential caucuses, and they screwed that up so badly last time that it's gone.
posted by TrialByMedia at 2:40 PM on April 5, 2023 [5 favorites]


DrMew: As for the referenda: Wisconsin doesn't allow for direct democracy in the form of referenda proposed by voters. It only has referenda proposed by state and local legislatures.

In Ohio we have citizen-initiated ballot measures. We had one to change the redistricting process from the state legislature to a non-partisan panel, and it passed by a wide margin. What did the GOP legislature do? They ignored the law and posted grossly gerrymandered maps, which were repeatedly nullified by the state supreme court. The leg just kept doing the same thing over and over until it was "too late" to fix the maps.
We switched to partisan elections for the court, and predictably the Republicans replaced the retiring Chief Justice (who is herself a Republican, but voted for fair maps). Now we have a court that will rubber stamp the GOP legislature.
posted by Surely This at 2:44 PM on April 5, 2023 [1 favorite]


> I think the republicans really don't understand how much they blew up their hold on swing states with the Dobbs decision.

> Republicans have every right to panic that Dobbs might usher in a new era of Democratic dominance in critical swing states.

WSJ: "Since [last summer's vote in Kansas] voters in other conservative-leaning or politically mixed states, including Michigan, Kentucky and Montana, have also dealt defeats to abortion opponents in referendums on the issue. Political analysts credit abortion with delivering Democrats better-than-expected results in the midterms last November."
In Wisconsin, Democrats say abortion helped to energize liberal voters to come out and vote for Judge Protasiewicz in an off-year election when turnout is typically low. They also said it helped draw some independent and Republican voters to their side.

More than 1.8 million voters, or some 39% of Wisconsin’s voting age population, cast votes in Tuesday night’s election, more than in any spring election going back to at least 2000, according to an unofficial tally provided by Riley Vetterkind, with the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

[...]

Political analysts said the Wisconsin race underscores that abortion isn’t fading from the minds of voters and could continue to be an issue in the 2024 election as well.

“This is an issue that I think Republicans have yet to figure out how to address,” said Amy Walter, a political analyst at the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.
also btw... posted by kliuless at 11:42 PM on April 6, 2023 [2 favorites]


Interview with Ben Wikler in today's Capital Times.
posted by humbug at 5:09 AM on April 7, 2023 [2 favorites]


The Chicago PD has begun their punishment of the populace for electing a progressive mayor.
posted by NoxAeternum at 12:54 PM on April 19, 2023


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