Wisconsin Supreme Court primary election advances one conservative and one liberal candidate

The contentious election in Wisconsin to replace state Supreme Court Justice Patience Roggensack, whose term ends this summer, advanced this week as the primary voters sent one conservative candidate and one liberal candidate on to the general election.

Janet Protasiewicz and conservative Daniel Kelly both advanced to the general election after this week’s primary was held on Tuesday. Protasiewicz aims to turn the state GOP-led Supreme Court blue in the April 4 election. Her election to the Wisconsin high court would be pivotal to Democrats in the fierce battleground state ahead of the 2024 general election.

State Supreme Courts are bound to play a significant part in shaping the country’s future in the coming years as cases over key issues like abortion and election integrity continue to be heard and arbitrated. Wisconsin’s current laws ban abortions with the only exception being if the mother’s life is in danger. The law went into effect last year after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. 

Protasiewicz and Kelly knocked out another two candidates in this week’s primary to advance to the general election. Conservative Jennifer Dorow, who was endorsed by Roggensack, and liberal Everett Mitchell both lost their bids to fill the Supreme Court seat when Roggensack vacates it in July.