A major anti-abortion group is committing at least $100,000 to back a conservative judge running in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race that will determine the ideological balance of the court, which would shape rulings regarding abortion in the state.
A political action committee associated with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is dedicating six figures to mailers, phone calls, and text messages in support of Daniel Kelly, claiming that he has a "proven record of respecting life" after abortion rights group EMILY's List endorsed Janet Protasiewicz, a liberal candidate.
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"We encourage Wisconsinites to show up to the polls next Tuesday to cast a vote for Justice Daniel Kelly. Lives will be saved or lost depending on the outcome of this election," said SBA Pro-Life America's Director of State Public Affairs Kelsey Pritchard in a statement Tuesday. "The Wisconsin Supreme Court is in danger of becoming a tool of the radical abortion lobby, regardless of what the people, the Constitution and the law say."
Kelly and Protasiewicz are two of four candidates running in the primary election, which is set for next Tuesday, to succeed conservative Justice Patience Roggensack. Conservative justices currently hold a 4-3 majority, and the winner will determine the balance of the court for at least two years. If a liberal candidate wins, it would be the first time since 2008 that the court would have a liberal tilt.
Kelly previously served on the state Supreme Court from 2016 to 2020 before he lost his bid to keep his seat, vowing to prevent "judicial activism" if reelected. He is currently far outpaced in fundraising in the race that is gearing up to be one of the most expensive in state history.
Protasiewicz has raised more than half a million than her three competitors, drawing in nearly $1.9 million since first announcing her candidacy last year, according to campaign finance reports. Behind her, Waukesha County Judge Jennifer Dorow, a conservative candidate, has raised more than $700,000. Dorow drew national attention for presiding over the trial of Darrell Brooks Jr., who was convicted of killing six people after driving an SUV into a crowd at a Christmas parade in Waukesha in 2021.
Interest groups have suggested that the race could tip the scales in future cases over abortion rights, as many states review or enact new abortion laws following the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last year. Wisconsin's decades-old abortion ban took effect after the ruling. A lawsuit filed by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) and state Attorney General Josh Kaul challenges the 1849 abortion law that makes it a felony to perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy unless the mother's life is in danger.
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"The rights and freedoms of millions of Wisconsinites hinge on a Wisconsin Supreme Court committed to reproductive freedom, democracy, and voting rights for all," Emily's List said in a statement. "Protasiewicz has been a champion for Wisconsinites for over 35 years, and we have full confidence in her dedication to fairly interpreting the law and standing up to extremism."
Wisconsin is one of two states holding elections for state Supreme Court this year. The top two candidates in Tuesday's primary election will advance to an April general election.