Wisconsin Election With Major Implications Is Decided

Janet Protasiewicz beats Dan Kelly
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 4, 2023 10:07 PM CDT
Winner Declared in Closely-Watched Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Republican-backed Dan Kelly and Democratic-supported Janet Protasiewicz participate in a debate Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Madison, Wis.   (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Janet Protasiewicz has been declared the winner in a closely-watched Wisconsin Supreme Court race against Dan Kelly. The win gives liberals control of the state's highest court for the first time in a decade and a half, and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says it "instantly reshap[es] politics" in the state, opening up the possibility that laws like the state's abortion ban could be overturned. (More on the potential implications here.) The race was called less than an hour after polls closed, and while statewide races are often within just one or two percentage points of each other, in this one Protasiewicz was leading 56% to 44% with 59% of votes counted, NBC News reports. Kelly refused to call her to concede. (More Wisconsin stories.)

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