Washington [US],April 5: Wisconsin voters on Tuesday will select a new state Supreme Court justice in an election that will determine the future of abortion rights statewide and could have a significant impact on the 2024 election.
The contest between liberal Janet Protasiewicz and conservative Daniel Kelly is the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, according to New York University's Brennan Center for Justice. Nearly $45 million had been spent as of last week, according to a WisPolitics.com review, far outstripping the previous record of $15.2 million.
The winner will determine whether the court maintains its current 4-3 conservative majority or flips to liberal control. Abortion has dominated the campaign, with the court expected in the coming months to decide whether to uphold the state's 1849 abortion ban.
That law took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last year to eliminate a nationwide right to abortion. The state's Democratic attorney general, Josh Kaul, has challenged the statute's validity in a lawsuit backed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers.
The election's outcome also holds major implications for the political future of the battleground state. Just as it did in 2020, the court could issue crucial voting decisions before and after the 2024 presidential election, when Wisconsin is again poised to be a vital swing state.
In addition, the court may revisit the state's congressional and legislative maps, which Republicans have drawn to maximize their political advantage.
While the election is technically nonpartisan, neither Protasiewicz nor Kelly has made much of an effort to hide their ideological bent. The state Democratic and Republican parties have poured resources into their favored campaigns, and outside organizations have likewise spent millions of dollars supporting their preferred candidate, including anti- and pro-abortion rights groups.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
