Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown that’s surrounding us and suffocating every moment of our lives, the GOP-controlled court system in the state of Wisconsin refused to postpone that state’s primary election, or to even respect the sudden influx in mail-in ballots from people who didn’t want to get exposed to a virus simply for exercising their right to vote.
It was a blatant act of voter suppression — a favorite move of the GOP — and a frightening portent of the upcoming November election.
Fortunately, those brave voters made sure their voices were made heard: preliminary results show that they successfully kicked out the incumbent conservative Justice Daniel Kelly, voting in the progressive candidate Jill Karofsky. From the Milwaukee Journal Online Sentinel:
Karofsky’s victory marked the first time in a dozen years that a Supreme Court challenger beat an incumbent — and just the second time in more than half a century. Her win over Justice Daniel Kelly will shift conservative control of the court from 5-2 to 4-3.
Thank you to everyone across Wisconsin who made this victory possible! pic.twitter.com/FkbPjnGsCH
— Judge Jill Karofsky (@judgekarofsky) April 14, 2020
Good news is good to see.
Liberal Jill Karofsky wins Wisconsin Supreme Court election, defeating conservative justice Daniel Kelly [Patrick Marley / Milwaukee Journal Online Sentinel]
Progressive Upsets Conservative Judge After Suppressed Vote in Wisconsin [Ed Kilgore / NY Mag]
Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC 4.0)
