Wisconsin Right Now has learned from multiple sources that former Attorney General Brad Schimel will be running against left-wing Justice Ann Walsh-Bradley for state Supreme Court.
Schimel is expected to make the announcement on November 30 in Waukesha, where he is a sitting circuit court judge.
As a former state Attorney General and a former Waukesha County District Attorney, Schimel will bring immediate tough-on-crime public safety cred to the contest against an incumbent who has elevated the rights of criminal defendants over those of crime victims.
Walsh-Bradley was the ONLY justice to vote against a sweeping victims’ rights amendment known as Marsy’s Law. She would have invalidated the votes of more than 1.1 million Wisconsinites who authorized Marsy’s Law because she doesn’t believe the language alerted voters that it would also harm criminal defendants’ rights. In stark contrast, as AG, Schimel was a champion of Marsy’s Law.
We think former AG Brad Schimel will be running against left-wing partisan Justice Ann Walsh Bradley for state Supreme Court! You heard it here first, and we won't be wrong. #breaking pic.twitter.com/M2U75f8uN5
— Wisconsin Right Now (@wisconsin_now) November 25, 2023
So out of step was Walsh-Bradley in this decision, which came down in May 2023, that all of the other liberal and conservative justices disagreed with her.
Walsh-Bradley has already announced that she will run for a fourth term in 2025.
Walsh-Bradley is also a leading figure in a court with a dysfunctional and extremely partisan liberal majority that seems poised to take divisive political stances against the wishes of most Wisconsinites, such as on drawing new maps for legislators, invalidating the votes of Wisconsinites in every last legislative election. Drawing new maps is unpopular in Wisconsin, according to a new Marquette poll.
Another hot-button issue before the liberal court is an unprecedented move to invalidate school choice and kick thousands of Wisconsin kids out of schools that are working for them.
All of this gives Schimel a lot to work with. Walsh-Bradley has also been at the center of childish feuds on the court, contributing to its dysfunction, that goes back years.
Schimel is 58 years old, Walsh-Bradley is 73. She will be 84 at the end of another 10-year term if re-elected.
Although Schimel lost re-election as AG in 2018, that was in a blue wave year that also toppled Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Schimel lost by only 17,190, and there was a Constitution Party candidate on the ballot that year who got 47,038 votes.
Schimel did not immediately respond to WRN’s request for comment. We will update the story if/when he does.
About Brad Schimel
Schimel’s bio reads,
“Brad Schimel grew up in the Town of Vernon and graduated Mukwonago High School. He attended UW Waukesha for 2 years and then finished his Bachelor Degree at UW Milwaukee. He began his career in the Waukesha County Courthouse as an intern in the DA’s Office in 1989, and after graduating UW Law School in 1990, was hired as an Assistant DA. He served as an Assistant DA until he was elected Waukesha County District Attorney in 2006 and was twice reelected as DA. He left the courthouse in 2015 after being elected Wisconsin Attorney General. Brad and his family stayed here in Waukesha County, and he returned to the courthouse as a Circuit Court Judge presiding over Br. 6 in January, 2019.”
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