Local News
Democrats jumping at open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat
Gableman not seeking second term
It looks like a new Wisconsin Supreme Court justice will be elected next year, now that incumbent Michael Gableman has decided not to seek a second term.
Gableman already had attracted two liberal challengers for the April election.
“The fact that you’ve had two people already announce against Gableman, is an indication that they’re serious about recruiting candidates,” Joe Heim, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Professor Emeritus of political science, said.
Heim added that both major parties are expected to fight over the seat, as they’ve been doing every election for the last decade.
“This is becoming increasingly blatant, that the parties have taken sides in these races,” Heim said.
Conservative Justice Annette Ziegler was re-elected this year without opposition, which led to criticism that the state Democratic party did not try to recruit a candidate. Heim notes that technically, it’s not the role of political parties to find candidates for the court races.
