Dallet's Victory Another Indication The 2018 General Election Could Favor Democrats
(WPR)---Milwaukee County Judge Rebecca Dallet has won a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, riding a wave of Democratic enthusiasm to victory in her officially nonpartisan race.
The race drew national attention, mostly from Democrats, who saw it as an opportunity to build momentum toward the general election in November.
As of 8:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Dallet was leading Sauk County Judge Michael Screnock by a margin of 57 to 43 percent.
Dallet's win will chip away at the court's conservative majority, changing the balance from a 5-2 conservative edge to a 4-3 split.
It also marks the first time since these races became more politicized about a decade ago that liberals have gained ground on the court instead of losing it.
While candidates for the state Supreme Court have long found ways to send hints about their political leanings, this year's race was as overtly partisan as any in recent memory.
Dallet's first TV ad featured grainy black and white footage of President Donald Trump, warning voters that their values were under attack.
She was endorsed by a variety of national Democrats, including former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, former Vice President Joe Biden and New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker.
Holder's National Democratic Redistricting Committee ran ads on Dallet's behalf, and he campaigned for her last month during stops in Wisconsin.
Screnock argued Dallet's overtures to Democrats showed she would be an "activist" on the court, but Screnock himself received more money from a political party than any Supreme Court candidate in Wisconsin history.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin spent more than $300,000 on Screnock's behalf, and his campaign was endorsed by conservative groups ranging from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce to the National Rifle Association.
Gov. Scott Walker, who appointed Screnock to the Sauk County Circuit Court, also endorsed him. As a private attorney, Screnock defended Walker's Act 10 collective bargaining law and the Republican-drawn redistricting plan that is currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Dallet's victory gives another indication that the 2018 general election could favor Democrats. It follows a string of special election victories for Democrats around the country, including one in Wisconsin earlier this year, when Sen. Patty Schachtner, D-Somerset, won a district Trump carried by 17 percentage points.
Dallet will replace outgoing conservative Justice Michael Gableman, who wrote the opinions that upheld Walker's Act 10 and that shut down an investigation into Walker's campaign.
Dallet will be officially sworn in as Justice on Aug.1.
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