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2019 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

{{Short description|Judicial election in the U.S. state of Wisconsin}}

{{Use American English|date=September 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2019 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

| country = Wisconsin

| type = presidential

| ongoing = No

| previous_election = 2018 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

| previous_year = 2018

| next_election = 2020 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

| next_year = 2020

| election_date = April 2, 2019

| image1 = Justice Brian Hagedorn 2023.png

| candidate1 = Brian Hagedorn

| color1 = c0c0c0

| popular_vote1 = 606,414

| percentage1 = 50.22%

| image2 = 3x4.svg

| candidate2 = Lisa Neubauer

| color2 = c0c0c0

| popular_vote2 = 600,433

| percentage2 = 49.72%

| map_size = 250px

| map_caption = Hagedorn:

{{legend0|#d79346|50–60%}} {{legend0|#c56900|60–70%}} {{legend0|#b25f00|70–80%}}
Neubauer: {{legend0|#81d0d0|50–60%}} {{legend0|#53bfbf|60–70%}} {{legend0|#1eafaf|70–80%}}

| title = Justice

| before_election = Shirley Abrahamson

| after_election = Brian Hagedorn

| previous_seat_election = 2009 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

| previous_seat_year = 2009

| next_seat_election = 2029 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

| next_seat_year = 2029

| map = {{Switcher

| 250px

| County results

| 250px

| Congressional district results

}}

}}{{ElectionsWI}}

The 2019 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was held on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, to elect a justice to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. The Incumbent justice, Shirley Abrahamson, retired after 43 years on the court, the longest in the history of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.{{cite news |last=Marley |first=Patrick |date=December 20, 2020 |title=Shirley Abrahamson, longest-serving member of Wisconsin Supreme Court, dies at 87 |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/20/shirley-abrahamson-longest-serving-member-wisconsin-supreme-court-dies-87/3983456001/ |url-access=subscription |accessdate=March 14, 2025 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}} Although the Wisconsin Supreme Court justices are considered nonpartisan, Abrahamson identified as a liberal and voted with the liberal 3–4 minority on the court. Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge Brian Hagedorn narrowly defeated Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals Lisa Neubauer, shifting the ideology of the court towards conservatives.

This is the most recent election in which a conservative candidate has won election to the court. It is also the only contested supreme court election election held since 2016 that did not see a liberal candidate win with approximately 55% of the vote against a conservative candidate (as has been the outcomes of the 2018, 2020, 2023, and 2025 elections).{{cite web |first1=J. Miles |last1=Coleman |first2=Kyle |last2=Kondik |title=Conservatives Fall Well Short Again in Wisconsin Court Race; Shades of 2017 in Florida Special Elections |url=https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/conservatives-fall-well-short-again-in-wisconsin-court-race-shades-of-2017-in-florida-special-elections/ |website=Sabato's Crystal Ball |access-date=3 April 2025 |date=2 April 2025}}

Background

{{expand section|date=July 2025}}

The 2018 and 2019 elections are the fifth instance in the court's history in which two consecutive elections were for open seats (without an incumbent running).{{efn|The five previous instances in Wisconsin state history in which consecutive supreme court elections have been for open seats were:{{cite web |last1=Ostermeier |first1=Dr Eric |title=Wisconsin Supreme Court 2025 Election by the Numbers |url=https://smartpolitics.lib.umn.edu/2025/01/12/wisconsin-supreme-court-2025-election-by-the-numbers/ |website=Smart Politics (University of Minnesota) |access-date=5 July 2025 |date=13 January 2025}}

A sixth instance occurred, with the 2023 and 2025 elections both being for open seats.

}}

There was no primary held, because only two candidates ran. Had a third candidate qualified for the ballot, a primary would have been held. It is rare for contested Wisconsin Supreme Court races to be held without the need for a primary, with this being the first such instance since 1978, and the last until 2025.

Candidates

There was no Supreme Court primary in 2019, as only two candidates ran for the seat.

= Declared =

  • Brian Hagedorn, Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge{{Cite news |date=August 16, 2018 |title=Hagedorn announces bid for state Supreme Court |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2018/hagedorn-announces-bid-for-state-supreme-court/ |access-date=March 15, 2025 |work=WisPolitics}}
  • Lisa Neubauer, Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals{{Cite news |date=July 12, 2018 |title=Neubauer formally launches bid for state Supreme Court |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2018/neubauer-formally-launches-bid-for-state-supreme-court/ |access-date=March 15, 2025 |work=WisPolitics}}

= Declined =

  • Shirley Abrahamson, incumbent Supreme Court justice{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Shawn |date=May 30, 2018 |title=Longtime Wisconsin Justice Shirley Abrahamson Won't Seek Re-Election |url=https://wpr.org/longtime-wisconsin-justice-shirley-abrahamson-wont-seek-re-election |accessdate=March 14, 2025 |work=Wisconsin Public Radio}}
  • Susan Happ, Jefferson County District Attorney, Democratic nominee for Wisconsin Attorney General in 2014{{cite web |last1=DeFour |first1=Matthew |title=Jefferson County DA Susan Happ considering a run for Supreme Court in 2019 |url=https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/susan-happ-considering-a-run-for-supreme-court-in/article_bf3b945b-3105-53eb-80fb-53ce31a48905.html |website=Wisconsin State Journal |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250405174050/https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/susan-happ-considering-a-run-for-supreme-court-in/article_bf3b945b-3105-53eb-80fb-53ce31a48905.html |archive-date=April 5, 2025 |date=June 12, 2018}}
  • Maria Lazar, judge of the Waukesha County Circuit Court (endorsed Hagedorn){{cite web |title=Waukesha County Judge Lazar considering Supreme Court run |url=https://wislawjournal.com/2018/06/13/waukesha-county-judge-lazar-considering-supreme-court-run/ |website=Wisconsin Law Journal |date=June 13, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Lazar campaign: Declines to run for Wisconsin state Supreme Court |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2018/lazar-campaign-declines-to-run-for-wisconsin-state-supreme-court/ |website=wispolitics.com |date=November 26, 2018}}

General election

= Endorsements =

{{Endorsements box

| title = Brian Hagedorn

| list =

Judicial officials

  • Rebecca Bradley, Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court{{cite web |title=Hagedorn campaign: Announces candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2018/hagedorn-campaign-announces-candidacy-for-the-wisconsin-supreme-court/ |website=wispolitics.com |date=August 16, 2018}}
  • Michael Gableman, former Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (2008–2018)
  • Daniel Kelly, Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
  • David Prosser, former justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (1998–2016)
  • Jon Wilcox, former justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (1992–2007){{cite web |title=Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices Jon Wilcox and David Prosser Endorse Hagedorn for Supreme Court |url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/pressrelease/former-wisconsin-supreme-court-justices-jon-wilcox-and-david-prosser-endorse-hagedorn-for-supreme-court/ |website=Urban Milwaukee |date=January 22, 2019}}

Organizations

  • National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund{{cite web |title=NRA Endorses Brian Hagedorn for Wisconsin Supreme Court |url=https://www.nrapvf.org/articles/20190318/nra-endorses-brian-hagedorn-for-wisconsin-supreme-court |website=NRA-PVF |date=March 18, 2019}}
  • Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund PAC{{cite web |title=PRO-LIFE WISCONSIN PAC ENDORSES JUDGE BRIAN HAGEDORN FOR WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT |url=https://www.prolifewi.org/2272019-plw-pac-hagedorn-endorsement |website=ProLifeWI |date=February 27, 2019}}
  • Wisconsin Realtors Association{{cite web |title=Group revokes endorsement of Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate |url=https://www.wisn.com/article/wisconsin-realtors-association-revokes-endorsement-brian-hagedorn/26448769 |website=WISN-TV |date=February 21, 2019}}
  • Wisconsin Right to Life PAC{{cite web |title=Wisconsin Right to Life PAC Endorses Brian Hagedorn for Wisconsin Supreme Court |url=https://wisconsinrighttolife.org/wrtl-news/2019/03/07/wisconsin-right-to-life-pac-endorses-brian-hagedorn-for-wisconsin-supreme-court/ |website=Wisconsin Right to Life |date=March 7, 2019}}

Labor unions

  • Milwaukee Police Association{{cite web |title=Judge Hagedorn: Milwaukee Police Association endorses Hagedorn for Supreme Court |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2019/judge-hagedorn-milwaukee-police-association-endorses-hagedorn-for-supreme-court/ |website=Wispolitics.com |date=March 11, 2019}}

Political parties

  • Wisconsin Republican Party{{cite web |last1=Bice |first1=Daniel |title=Bice: Political party ties run deep for Supreme Court candidates Neubauer and Hagedorn |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/daniel-bice/2019/03/01/party-ties-run-deep-supreme-court-candidates-neubauer-and-hagedorn/2980170002/ |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250405173331/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/daniel-bice/2019/03/01/party-ties-run-deep-supreme-court-candidates-neubauer-and-hagedorn/2980170002/#selection-311.0-311.86 |archive-date=April 5, 2025 |date=March 2, 2019}}

}}

{{Endorsements box

| title = Lisa Neubauer

| list =

Judicial officials

  • 19 current and former Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges{{cite web |title=Neubauer campaign: Supreme Court candidate Judge Lisa Neubauer announces support from more than 200 judges across Wisconsin |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2018/neubauer-campaign-supreme-court-candidate-judge-lisa-neubauer-announces-support-from-more-than-200-judges-across-wisconsin/ |website=wispolitics.com |date=August 20, 2018}}

Labor unions

  • Teamsters Joint Council 39{{cite web |title=Teamsters Joint Council 39 Endorses Neubauer For Wisconsin Supreme Court |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teamsters-joint-council-39-endorses-neubauer-for-wisconsin-supreme-court-300786897.html |date=January 30, 2019}}
  • WI AFL-CIO{{cite web |title=NEUBAUER FOR SUPREME COURT |url=https://wisaflcio.org/news/neubauer-supreme-court |website=WI AFL-CIO |date=February 11, 2019}}
  • Wisconsin Building Trades Council{{cite web |title=Wisconsin Building Trades Endorse Judge Lisa Neubauer |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/190214-BuildingTrades.pdf}}

Organizations

  • Citizen Action Wisconsin{{cite web |title=Citizen Action 2019 Spring Election Endorsements |url=https://www.citizenactionwi.org/2019/03/28/citizen-action-2019-spring-election-endorsements/ |website=Citizen Action Wisconsin |date=March 28, 2019}}
  • Human Rights Campaign{{cite web |title=HRC Endorses Judge Lisa Neubauer for the Wisconsin Supreme Court |url=https://www.hrc.org/news/hrc-endorses-judge-lisa-neubauer-for-wisconsin-supreme-court |website=Human Rights Campaign |date=March 25, 2019}}
  • National Democratic Redistricting Committee{{cite web |title=Eric Holder’s Group Spending $350K To Help Supreme Court Candidate Lisa Neubauer |url=https://www.wpr.org/justice/eric-holders-group-spending-350k-help-supreme-court-candidate-lisa-neubauer |website=Wisconsin Public Radio |date=March 4, 2019}}
  • Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin{{cite web |title=Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin Announces Judicial Endorsements |url=https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-advocates-wisconsin/newsroom/planned-parenthood-advocates-of-wisconsin-announces-judicial-endorsements |website=Planned Parenthood Action |date=March 7, 2019}}

Political parties

  • Wisconsin Democratic Party
  • Wisconsin Working Families Party{{cite web |title=Wisconsin Working Families Party: Endorses Judge Lisa Neubauer for Supreme Court |url=https://www.wispolitics.com/2019/wisconsin-working-families-party-endorses-judge-lisa-neubauer-for-supreme-court/ |website=wispolitics.com |date=February 6, 2019}}

Newspapers and other media

  • The Cap Times{{cite web |title=Editorial: Judge Neubauer will be an outstanding Supreme Court justice |url=https://captimes.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-judge-neubauer-will-be-an-outstanding-supreme-court-justice/article_a34e02e7-0210-5ab9-857f-70223ea6e747.html |website=The Cap Times |date=March 20, 2019}}
  • The Shepherd Express{{cite web |title=Shepherd Express Enthusiastically Endorses Lisa Neubauer |url=https://shepherdexpress.com/news/features/shepherd-express-enthusiastically-endorses-lisa-neubauer/ |website=The Shepherd Express |date=March 26, 2019}}
  • Wisconsin State Journal{{cite web |title=Our endorsement for Wisconsin Supreme Court: Lisa Neubauer |url=https://madison.com/opinion/editorial/our-endorsement-for-wisconsin-supreme-court-lisa-neubauer/article_de3c6d78-4f9f-552f-bd61-0a3a67b08fef.html |website=Wisconsin State Journal |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250405170442/https://madison.com/opinion/editorial/our-endorsement-for-wisconsin-supreme-court-lisa-neubauer/article_de3c6d78-4f9f-552f-bd61-0a3a67b08fef.html#selection-3003.0-3003.58 |archive-date=April 5, 2025 |date=March 27, 2019}}

}}

= Debates=

class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="text-align:center;"

|+ class="nowrap" | 2019 Wisconsin Supreme Court election debates

style="font-size:small;"

! scope="col" | {{abbr|No.|Number}}

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Host

! scope="col" | Moderators

! scope="col" | Link

! scope="col" colspan="2" | Candidates

colspan="5" rowspan="2" |{{Colors|black|#90ff90| P }} Participant  {{Colors|black|#ff9090| A }} Absent  {{Colors|black|#A2B2C2| N }} Non-invitee  {{Colors|black|#CCFFCC| I }} Invitee {{color box|#f0e68c|W}} Withdrawn

! scope="col" style="background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"|

! scope="col" style="background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"|

scope="col"| Hagedorn

!scope="col"| Neubauer

style="background:#FFFFFF;font-size:small;"

!scope="row"| 1{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Shawn |title=Hagedorn, Neubauer Spar Over Political Ties During Supreme Court Debate |url=https://www.wpr.org/justice/hagedorn-neubauer-spar-over-political-ties-during-supreme-court-debate |website=Wisconsin Public Radio |date=March 15, 2019}}

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| March 15, 2019

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| WISC-TV
State Bar of Wisconsin
WisPolitics

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| Eric Franke

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZe45Dhr2bY YouTube]

| {{Yes|P}}

| {{Yes|P}}

style="background:#FFFFFF;font-size:small;"

!scope="row"| 2{{cite web |last1=Silver |first1=Maayan |title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates Face Off, Address Partisanship & Past |url=https://www.wuwm.com/news/2019-03-19/wisconsin-supreme-court-candidates-face-off-address-partisanship-past |website=WUWM |date=March 19, 2019}}

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| March 19, 2019

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| Milwaukee Bar Association
WisconsinEye

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| Steve Walters

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| [https://wiseye.org/2019/03/19/milwaukee-bar-association-2019-supreme-court-forum/ WisEye]

| {{Yes|P}}

| {{Yes|P}}

style="background:#FFFFFF;font-size:small;"

!scope="row"| 3{{cite web |date=March 8, 2019 |title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Debate To Air Live On WISN 12 |url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/pressrelease/wisconsin-supreme-court-debate-to-air-live-on-wisn-12-2/ |access-date=March 14, 2025 |website=Urban Milwaukee}}

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| March 26, 2019

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| WISN-TV
Marquette University Law School

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| Mike Gousha

|style="white-space:nowrap;"| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDFWlW-m0hY YouTube]

| {{Yes|P}}

| {{Yes|P}}

= Polling =

{{Empty section|date=March 2025}}

= Results =

{{Election box begin no party no change|title=2019 Wisconsin Supreme Court election{{cite report|url= https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2019_2020 |title= Wisconsin Blue Book 2019-2020 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-7333817-0-3 |chapter-url= https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2019_2020/200_elections_and_political_parties.pdf |chapter= Election results and Wisconsin parties | pages=618–620 |accessdate= March 15, 2025}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate no party no change|candidate=Brian Hagedorn|votes=606,414|percentage=50.22%}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change|candidate=Lisa Neubauer|votes=600,433|percentage=49.72%}}

{{Election box write-in no party no change|votes=722|percentage=0.06%}}

{{Election box total no party no change|votes=1,207,569|percentage=100.00}}

{{Election box end}}

== By congressional district ==

class= wikitable sortable

! District

! Hagedorn

! Neubauer

! Representative

align=center

! style="background:#d79346;"|{{ushr|Wisconsin|1|1st}}

| 58.4%

| 41.6%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Paul Ryan

align=center

! style="background:#81d0d0;"|{{ushr|Wisconsin|2|2nd}}

| 25.5%

| 74.5%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Mark Pocan

align=center

! style="background:#81d0d0;"|{{ushr|Wisconsin|3|3rd}}

| 47.2%

| 52.8%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Ron Kind

align=center

! style="background:#81d0d0;"|{{ushr|Wisconsin|4|4th}}

| 29.8%

| 70.2%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Gwen Moore

align=center

! style="background:#d79346;"|{{ushr|Wisconsin|5|5th}}

| 64.6%

| 35.4%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Jim Sensenbrenner

align=center

! style="background:#d79346;"|{{ushr|Wisconsin|6|6th}}

| 59.2%

| 40.8%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Glenn Grothman

align=center

! style="background:#d79346;"|{{ushr|Wisconsin|7|7th}}

| 57.4%

| 42.6%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Sean Duffy

align=center

! style="background:#d79346;"|{{ushr|Wisconsin|8|8th}}

| 57.3%

| 42.7%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Mike Gallagher

Notes

{{notelist}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{2019 United States elections}}

{{Wisconsin Supreme Court elections}}

Category:Wisconsin Supreme Court elections

supreme court